PHILADELPHIA, PA – Monmouth University Baseball (12-18-1) scored six third-inning runs and got 6.1 effective relief frames, beating the University of Pennsylvania (17-9) on Wednesday afternoon, 8-5. Evan Ferris (Middleboro, MA/Coyle and Cassidy) earned his first career win out of the bullpen for the Blue and White.

After Penn jumped to a 3-0 lead at the end of two, scoring twice in the second, MU posted a huge third inning. Kyle Norman (Ellicott City, MD/Good Counsel/Buffalo) brought home the first two with a hard-hit single, and Clay Koniencki (Schwenksville, PA/Malvern Prep) singled the other way to tie the game. Nick Campana (Downingtown, PA/Downingtown West) came through with a big knock through the middle to give MU the lead, and JP Walsh (Spring Brook Township, PA/North Pocono) doubled him home to make it 5-3. Sean McHugh (Collegeville, PA/Spring-Ford) capped the big inning with his first career hit, a run-scoring single the other way to put the Hawks up 6-3.

Leading 7-4 in the sixth after the teams traded runs, Max Goione (Fair Haven, NJ/Rumson-Fair Haven/Siena) launched his first home run of the season to straightaway left to double up Penn, making it 8-4 Monmouth. Penn added a run in the eighth but never threatened after that, with Ferris turning in 4.2 one-run innings to earn the win.

NOTES AND QUOTES
"A very nice team win today. Once we scored in the third inning we relaxed a little and put up six. The pitchers battled all day and made the pitches when they needed. Evan Ferris was outstanding; he settled the game down for us, so it was a huge effort on Evan's part. Defensively, Matt Graber made three incredible plays, including the last play of the game. Our six-run third had contributions from a bunch of guys, and we had nine good at bats in a row.  Sean McHugh was part of that, and it was nice to see him get that first career hit. The guys played well today. Looking forward to getting back into MAAC play this weekend." – Head Coach Dean Ehehalt

-Evan Ferris picked up his first career win.
-Sean McHugh collected his first career hit and RBI in his first career start.
-Max Goione hit his first home run of the season and second as a Hawk.
-MU is now 4-1 against Penn all time and have won four in a row, including in back-to-back seasons.
-JP Walsh posted his fifth multiple-RBI game this season.
-Kyle Norman has now driven in multiple runs three times this year.
-Ryan Steckline threw his third straight scoreless outing.
-Monmouth snapped a four-game losing streak.

NUMBERS CRUNCH
-Monmouth was outhit 12-10.
-Neither team committed an error.
-Kyle Ajjan made his fifth start, allowing four runs in 2.2 innings.
-Ferris allowed a run on five hits through 4.2 frames.
-Steckline tossed 1.2 shutout innings to close out the game.
-Robby Cerulle took the loss after allowing three runs in one inning.

UP NEXT
-Monmouth hosts Niagara on Saturday at noon for a MAAC doubleheader.