PISCATAWAY, NJ – Monmouth was held off by Rutgers on Tuesday afternoon, 4-3 in the Hawks' final non-conference game of the season. Max Goione (Fair Haven, NJ/Rumson-Fair Haven/Siena) led Monmouth with a pair of hits in addition to a diving catch at second base early in the game.

The Hawks opened the game with consecutive ground-rule doubles, as Danny Long (Sellersville, PA/Pennridge) and Shaine Hughes (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township) hit them into opposite corners to make it 1-0 Hawks. Ryan Steckline (Newark, DE/Appoquinimink) kept the Scarlet Knights off the board until the fourth, when Milo Freeman delivered a two-run single the other way to put RU up 2-1. MU quickly got that one back in the top of the fifth on Pete Papcun's (Brick, NJ/Christian Brothers Academy) RBI single to tie the game.

The Scarlet Knights posted single runs in the fifth and seventh, as Chris Folinusz scored on a wild pitch before homering to left to make it 4-2 in favor of the home team. The Hawks got one back when they loaded the bases in the eighth, getting a run across on a double play ball to trim the deficit to 4-3, the eventual final.

NOTES AND QUOTES
"We could not get a two out hit today, and the left on base numbers were very indicative of that. We played hard but came up short. Steckline did some encouraging things in his first start. It's back at it this weekend." – Dean Ehehalt

-Ryan Steckline made his first career start as a pitcher.
-Ryan Byrd made his first career start, playing left field.
-Regan Dombroski took his first career loss.
-Max Goione posted his second multi-hit game of the season, and second in as many starts.
-Mike Brambilla posted his first scoreless inning since April 21 at Niagara.
-Monmouth drops both games to Rutgers this season by one run.

NUMBERS CRUNCH
-There were seven hit by pitches in the game, five coming from Rutgers pitching.
-Rutgers outhit Monmouth 9-6.
-The Hawks left 12 runners on base on the afternoon.
-Tommy Genuario earned his second save for Rutgers, while Eric Reardon picked up his fourth win

UP NEXT
-Monmouth takes on Fairfield Thursday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. to open the final weekend of the regular season.