PISCATAWAY, NJ – Monmouth University Baseball (3-13) battled back to tie, but Big 10-member Rutgers University (4-9) scored on a wild pitch in the 10^th inning to take Wednesday's non-conference matchup in Piscataway, 2-1. JD Andreessen (Depew, NY/Lancaster/Campbell) and Kyle Norman (Ellicott City, MD/Good Counsel/Buffalo) had three hits apiece for the Hawks, while Regan Dombroski (Manasquan, NJ/Wall) fired three shutout innings in relief.

RU took a 1-0 lead in the opening inning, with Mike Nyisztor the catalyst after singling, swiping second and going to third on an error before scoring on Chris Brito's sac fly. That would be Rutgers' only run for the next nine innings, as the MU bullpen allowed runners aboard in all but two innings but never found any real trouble.

The work of the Hawks' bullpen enabled MU to tie things in the sixth, as JP Walsh (Spring Brook Township, PA/North Pocono) and Norman both singled, Norman's coming via bunt, before Andreessen drove in the tying run. MU put runners on in the eighth, ninth and 10^th but couldn't convert before Nyisztor again led off the 10^th with a base hit. After an intentional walk, a wild pitch allowed Alex Russo to score the game-winning run.

NOTES AND QUOTES
"Definitely a tough loss. We battled and played hard as a team, had opportunities but were unable to cash in. On the mound we threw good enough to win, especially Regan [Dombroski].  He showed some toughness today, he really competed." – Head Coach Dean Ehehalt

-The last three contests between Monmouth and Rutgers have been decided by one run.
-JD Andreessen has hits in 10 games in a row, including six multi-hit games with today being his first three-hit contest this year.
-This afternoon marked Andreessen's third three-hit game as a Hawk.
-Kyle Norman has hit in four straight, and also had hit first three-hit day this season.
-Norman now has five three-hit games for MU in his career, with this being his first since last May 8^th at Hofstra.
-Regan Dombroski matched the longest outing of his career while posting the longest scoreless outing of his collegiate career, with three shutout frames.
-Zach Schild has hit in four straight, and nine of 13 contests he has played in this year.
-Ryan Steckline delivered two shutout innings, his first scoreless outing of the season.
-Rutgers now leads the all-time series 31-9.

NUMBERS CRUNCH
-Monmouth outhit Rutgers 9-7.
-MU pitching gave up just one earned run all day, and Monmouth relief pitching threw 7.2 innings without allowing an earned run.
-Mason Miller got the loss, allowing an unearned run in 1.2 innings.
-Serafino Brito got the win for Rutgers, tossing 2.1 innings of shutout relief.
-Seven of Monmouth's nine hits belonged to the top three hitters in the order.

UP NEXT
-Monmouth opens a three-game set at George Mason on Friday at 3:00 p.m.