PLYMOUTH MEETING, PA – Monmouth University Baseball (16-23-1) scored with two outs in the ninth to tie the game, before Sean McHugh's (Collegeville, PA/Spring-Ford) career-high third hit of the day brought home the eventual winning run in the 10^th as the Hawks topped Villanova University (10-27) on Tuesday, 6-5.

Down 5-4 entering the ninth, Zach Schild (Lincroft, NJ/Middletown South) led things off with a single before being pinch run for by Matt Graber (Newton, MA/Dexter). A sac bunt and a ground out moved Graber to third before he scored the tying run on a wild pitch. In the 10^th, Clay Koniencki (Schwenksville, PA/Malvern Prep) singled up the middle leading off before a walk and a ground out put him on third with two down. This time, it was a base hit to score the run, coming off McHugh's bat for his third hit of the day to put MU in front. Villanova put runners on second and third in their half of the 10^th, but Nick Houghton (Hamilton, NJ/Nottingham) got the final out to earn his first career win.

Koniencki got the Hawks on the board early with a first-inning sac fly, but John Heilenbach's second-inning double for VU got things even. Koniencki drove in another in the fourth, this time with a double, but the Wildcats answered with four in the bottom of the inning to lead 5-2. Kyle Norman (Ellicott City, MD/Good Counsel/Buffalo) plated a pair with a base hit in the fifth to draw the Hawks within one, the last scoring until the ninth.

NOTES AND QUOTES
"Solid effort today. It was a gutsy performance from the team.  We swung the bats well, got solid pitching and did the little things today. I know the guys were really excited for Sean McHugh and Nick Houghton. They both had a great day. Our pitching was solid; Kyle threw like a veteran only giving up one earned run. Mike and Nick threw the ball well and performed admirably in pressure spots.  Norman and McCreary had good days at the plate also. I believe we can build off today's game. We need to get some momentum as we get ready to start the second half of MAAC play." – Head Coach Dean Ehehalt

-Nick Houghton earned his first career win.
-Houghton becomes the second MU freshman pitcher to earn a win this season (Hensey – 3).
-Sean McHugh posted his first career multi-hit game and first three-hit game, driving in his first-ever game-winning run.
-McHugh has RBI hits in his last two starts.
-Colin McCreary posted his sixth career multi-hit game and first-ever three-hit day.
-Clay Koniencki drove in multiple runs for the fifth time this year.
-MU freshman relievers Michael Dimino and Houghton combined for 6.1 shutout innings and eight K's.
-MU is now 2-2-1 in extra-inning games.
-The Hawks even their record on the road to 11-11-1.
-Kyle Ajjan allowed just one earned run after making his seventh start.
-Monmouth is now 3-4 all-time against Villanova, meeting for the first time since 2013.

NUMBERS CRUNCH
-Monmouth outhit Villanova 14-10.
-Nick Houghton threw three shutout innings with six strikeouts to earn his first win.
-Michael Dimino added 3.1 two-hit shutout frames in relief.
-Jason Applegate took the loss for VU after allowing the lead run in the 10^th.
-The Hawks limited Villanova to 2-for-13 with runners in scoring position.

UP NEXT
-Monmouth hosts NJIT tomorrow at 3:00 p.m.