WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ – Behind dominant starting pitching from Dan Klepchick (Warrington, PA/Central Bucks South) and Trey Dombroski (Manasquan, NJ/Wall), the Monmouth University Baseball team (9-1, 9-1 MAAC) shut out Siena College (3-7, 3-7 MAAC) twice on Friday by scores of 6-0 and 5-0 to extend its winning streak to nine games. MU pitching struck out 24 batters in the two games and only walked two.

Klepchick came out firing in the opener, with his first six outs coming via the strikeout, including going in order in the first. MU exploded for five in the bottom of the first, batting around in the process. At one point, six straight Hawks reached, four of them doing so with a hit. The first run scored on an error after a Johnny Zega (Lincroft, NJ/Middletown South) base hit, and Alex Barker (Newark, DE/Caravel Academy) drove in the next with a double the other way. Dixon Black (Archbald, PA/Valley View) and Zach Schild (Lincroft, NJ/Middletown) both singled down in the count to make it 4-0, and Black capped it by scoring on a wild pitch. Klepchick worked through trouble in the second before setting down 10 in a row, with MU adding a run on an error in the fifth.
 
Dombroski was also sharp early and was helped out by his defense, as Joey Ventresca (Little Egg Harbor, NJ/Pinelands Regional) cut down a runner at the plate on a first and third steal attempt. Monmouth and Siena traded zeroes for the first five innings before MU broke through, rallying with nobody out in the sixth. Ventresca lined a single to right before Brady Mutz (Swarthmore, PA/Strath Haven) went the other way for a hit. Jake Catalano (Southampton, NJ/St. Augustine Prep/RCGC) lined a single up the middle that was knocked down but still enough to score Ventresca, and Harry Padden (Pittsgrove, NJ/AP Schalick) followed that with a two-run single to left to make it 3-0. After Dombroski struck out the side in order in what would be his final inning, Barker launched a two-run homer down the line to extend the lead to 5-0 in the seventh. Ryan Steckline (Newark, DE/Appoquinimink) shut the door to lock down MU's ninth win in a row.

NOTES AND QUOTES
 
"Great day for our team. In Game One we jumped out to an early lead and then in Game Two we manufactured a few on the back end of a good pitcher's duel. Game One saw us execute and string together some good AB's right from the go; with Klepchick on the mound it gave us breathing room. Trey was great in the second game. Catalano and Padden had big two-out RBI base hits and Barker of course with the big homer. We needed a spark at the bottom of the order and we got that today, especially from Catalano. On the day, Klepchick, Trey and Steckline were outstanding." – Head Coach Dean Ehehalt
 
Our lineup is starting to function well and a bunch of guys are contributing.  Our pitching has been solid and we look forward to getting back out there tomorrow.
 
-Monmouth won its eighth and ninth games in a row.
-MU posted its fourth and fifth shutouts of the season.
-The Hawks have not allowed a run in 24 innings, and have given up just two runs in the last 47 innings.
-Monmouth did not allow a walk today until the second to last inning of the day.
-The Hawks have issued four walks in the last six games.
-Dan Klepchick's nine K's tied the third most of his career in a game.
-After 10 games, MU's team ERA stands at 1.96.
-Trey Dombroski's 10 strikeouts marked a career high.
-Alex Barker became the first Hawk to homer at home this season, and the first Hawk with multiple home runs.
-Dixon Black posted his first career multi-hit game in the first game.
-Zach Schild notched his first multi-hit game of the season in Game One.
-Joey Ventresca posted his first career multi-hit game.
-Brady Mutz notched his first hits of the season.
-MU's nine-game winning streak is the longest since 11 in April/May 2014.
-Monmouth is the first MAAC team to nine wins.

NUMBERS CRUNCH
-Monmouth outhit Siena 10-3 in Game One.
-MU outhit Siena 10-6 in Game Two.
-Dan Klepchick earned the win with a complete game three-hit shutout in the opener, fanning nine.
-Trey Dombroski struck out 10 in seven scoreless, five-hit innings in the nightcap.
-Ryan Steckline fanned five in two innings.
-McCully and Lumpinski took the losses for Siena.

UP NEXT
-The teams will play a doubleheader tomorrow in West Long Branch beginning at noon.