WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ – Four Monmouth pitchers combined to keep Manhattan off the board, and Zach Schild (Lincroft, NJ/Middletown South) drove in the game's lone run as MU topped the Jaspers 1-0 to sweep its second straight MAAC weekend. Jordan McCrum (Dallas, PA/Dallas Senior) earned the win and Austin Counsellor (Salem, NJ/Woodstown/Gloucester CC) fired three shutout innings to collect his third save.

James Kelly (Oceanport, NJ/Shore Regional) started his first conference weekend game, and left two runners aboard in the first before facing the minimum in his next two frames, including getting a double play on a great throw from Kyle Norman (Ellicott City, MD/Good Counsel/Buffalo) to throw out a runner at first on a fly ball.

MU put runners aboard in four of the first five innings before finally breaking through after McCrum ended the Manhattan sixth with a 4-6-3 double play. Shaine Hughes (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township) was hit by a pitch and stole second, and two batters later, Schild lined a run-scoring single to right to make it 1-0 Monmouth. That would be the only run Counsellor would need, retiring eight in a row before a ninth inning hit by pitch. He rebounded to get Matt Padre to ground into a fielder's choice to end the game and secure Monmouth's second straight sweep.

NOTES AND QUOTES
"Schild keeps it simple at the plate and once again he was able to move that ball to right field. They're a really tough matchup, and Zach did a really nice job there. We've been trying to piece together a game on the weekend and today it was Kelly, Lillie, McCrum and Counsellor. Kelly did a great job to come out and set the tone and Lillie settled it down. They were spectacular, that's a huge outing collectively from those four guys." – Dean Ehehalt on the win

"We certainly had our backs up against the wall after the Quinnipiac series, falling to 3-6 and getting walked off on twice. We worked on some things and talked about thinking a little bit differently and its starting to pay off. I've seen a lot of energy, I think the bye weekend helped us get on the right path." – Ehehalt on the turnaround to win six straight MAAC games

"Thank you to all of the Monmouth Baseball alumni who came out to the game today. It was great to see those guys back at the ballpark." – Ehehalt on the 20+ MU Baseball alums that attended the game

-Monmouth sweeps a conference series for the second consecutive weekend.
-MU extends its winning streak to seven in a row.
-The shutout is Monmouth's first of the season and first since May 19, 2017 vs. Iona.
-The Hawks won a game 1-0 for the first time since May 14, 2016 vs. Fairfield.
-Monmouth pitching did not allow a Manhattan runner to reach third base.
-MU starting pitching allowed just two earned runs all weekend.
-James Kelly made his first career weekend start.
-Kelly tied a career-high with three strikeouts.
-Shaine Hughes reached base in 12 of 14 plate appearances this weekend, including going 10-for-12 (.833) with five RBI's and five runs scored.
-Hughes is now eighth all time alone in hits with 221, three shy of Kyle Higgins and Nick Del Gozzo in second.
-McCrum picked up his second win in three appearances.
-Monmouth is 6-0 with Danny Long batting leadoff this year.
-Monmouth won a game without an extra base hit for the second time this season.
-MU is now 8-4 against Manhattan since joining the MAAC, winning three of four series.
-20+ Monmouth Baseball alumni joined the Hawks on the field before the game as part of Alumni Day at the game, with ex-Hawk Vinny Giordano throwing out the games ceremonial first pitch.

NUMBERS CRUNCH
-Monmouth did not make an error for the 11^th time this season.
-MU is now even in the MAAC standings with Manhattan at 9-6.
-The Hawks outhit the Jaspers 6-5.
-TJ Stuart took his first loss of the year for Manhattan to fall to 5-1.
-Brendan Bisset had two of Manhattan's five hits at the top of their order.

UP NEXT
-Monmouth heads to Lafayette Wednesday to take on the Leopards in non-conference action.