JERSEY CITY, NJ – Monmouth University Baseball (10-13-1, 2-0) scored 45 runs in two games, including 27 in the opener to sweep a MAAC-opening doubleheader from Saint Peter's University (0-20, 0-5). The Hawks scored their most runs in 11 years in the opening win over SPU, 27-1 in a game that saw JP Walsh (Spring Brook Township, PA/North Pocono) drive in seven runs before beating the Peacocks 18-4 in Game Two.

MU started the scoring early in the opener when JD Andreessen (Depew, NY/Lancaster/Campbell) launched his first of three home runs on the day as part of a four-run first inning. Clay Koniencki (Schwenksville, PA/Malvern Prep) hit a solo home run in the third, his first long ball of the season, before Hunter Mason singled home the only SPU run in the bottom half to cut it to 5-1 MU. The Hawks scored in every inning from that point on, including three runs in each of the next three frames. Walsh added RBI doubles in the fifth and sixth to jumpstart his huge game, while Zach Schild (Lincroft, NJ/Middletown South) knocked in three between the fifth and sixth. Kyle Norman's (Ellicott City, MD/Good Counsel/Buffalo) two-run double was the big blow in the four-run seventh, and MU scored seven in the ninth including Andreessen's second homer and a grand slam from Walsh. Dan Klepchick (Warrington, PA/Central Bucks South) fanned eight in six innings, and MU relief allowed just three hits in three innings.

Johnny Zega (Lincroft, NJ/Middletown South) lifted the Hawks to a quick 2-0 lead with a two-run double in the first inning of Game Two, and a five-run second extended MU's lead to 7-0 after Andreessen homered for the third time on the day, a three-run blast. Schild plated an eighth run with a double in the third before SPU came back with four in the fourth to cut the deficit in half at 8-4, with Nicholas Sciubba hitting a three-run home run for the Peacocks. MU got five in the sixth, starting when Koniencki homered to left center, a three-run shot, and Schild doubled home another to make it 13-4. The lead grew to 18-4 after another five in the seventh, including Matt Graber (Newton, MA/Dexter)'s first career home run and two more RBI's from Schild and Walsh. Regan Dombroski (Manasquan, NJ/Wall) posted his fourth straight scoreless outing, a three-inning appearance to earn the save after Rob Hensey (Campbell Hall, NY/Goshen) went four and struck out nine making the start.

NOTES AND QUOTES

"We wanted to come out and be aggressive from the start. It's always nice to get a sweep. The goal every weekend is to win the series. We really swing the bats well today. We wanted to score first and we did, Zach [Schild] had a two strike, two-out hit in the first and then JD followed with a home run which gave us a boost immediately. From top to bottom, we really swung it and had a bunch of good at bats. Everyone contributed in some way." – Head Coach Dean Ehehalt on Game One

"We got the lead early and did a nice job of answering back when the lead was cut to 8-4. Regan came in at that point and took over. Some guys had some great days offensively. Collectively it was very impressive and there were so many contributors.  JD had three home runs and Graber hit his first career homer." – Ehehalt on Game Two

Game One
-27 runs ties the sixth most scored by a Division I team in the NCAA this season.
-Monmouth scored its most runs in a game since scoring 35 in a win over Temple on March 29, 2006.
-The 27 runs and 24 hits are both the most ever in MAAC play for Monmouth.
-The 24 hits was the most since 25 on May 13, 2009, also against Saint Peter's.
-JP Walsh's seven RBI's is a career-high, an MU season high, and the most by a Hawk in a single game since Bobby Dombrowski drove in seven at Central Connecticut State on 4/3/10.
-MU topped 20 hits in a game for the first time since a 21-hit outburst at Niagara on 4/18/15.
-The Hawks are 2-0 in the MAAC for the fifth time in six years.
-MU won its MAAC opener for the sixth consecutive season, and are 6-0 all-time in the first game of MAAC play.
-The Hawks have won 10 straight conference openers dating back to 2009, when MU was a member of the NEC.
-Kyle Norman drove in three runs for the second time this season.
-Walsh hit his first career grand slam.
-Zach Schild drove in four runs, and now leads MU with 25 RBI's.
-JD Andreessen homered twice, the first time as a Hawk he has a two-homer game.
-Clay Koniencki homered for the first time since his sophomore year.
-Dan Klepchick earned his team-high third win, fanning eight.
-Johnny Zega notched his first three-hit and three-RBI game of the year.
-Robbie Holmes posted his first career three-hit game.

Game Two
-Matt Graber hit his first career home run.
-JP Walsh added four hits, totaling eight hits and nine RBI's on the day.
-JD Andreessen hit his team-leading third home run of the season, and his third of the day.
-Graber posted his first career three-hit game.
-Clay Koniencki drove in four and hit his second homer of the day, his second career four-RBI game and first since 3/5/16, his fourth career game.
-Rob Hensey won for his second straight start.
-Regan Dombroski collected his first career save.

NUMBERS CRUNCH

Game One
-MU outhit SPU 27-24.
-SPU made all three of the games' errors.
-Dan Klepchick earned the win with five one-run innings, fanning eight.
-Ryan Lillie fired two and Chris Hawryluk one scoreless relief inning.
-Joe Albunia took the loss for SPU with 3.1 innings, allowing six runs, four earned.
-MU scored in eight of nine innings.

Game Two
-MU outhit SPU 18-6.
-Hensey struck out nine in just four innings to earn his second win in a row.
-Dombroski fired three spotless innings save for one walk, earning his first career save.
-Ryan Wappaus took the loss, allowing seven runs in two innings.
-MU scored in five of seven innings.
-SPU made seven errors.

UP NEXT
-Due to weather, the series finale originally slated for Sunday has been moved to Monday, April 1 at Jaroschak Field in Jersey City, NJ at 3:00 p.m.