WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ – Monmouth University Baseball (12-2, 12-2 MAAC) extended its winning streak to 12 games with a 3-1 victory over Rider University (10-4, 10-4 MAAC) before falling in the nightcap to the Broncs by a 13-7 count. The 12-game winning streak is tied for the third longest in program history.
MU got on the board right away in the opener, with
Jalen Jenkins (Waxhaw, NC/Cuthbertson/Brunswick CC) singling and stealing second before
James Harmstead (Manasquan, NJ/Manasquan) ripped a base hit through the left side to stake MU to a 1-0 lead. Rider tied the game in the fourth, scoring on a bases loaded hit by pitch, but
Alex Barker (Newark, DE/Caravel Academy) escaped trouble by leaving the bases loaded. In a tie game in the sixth, Jenkins was the catalyst again, tripling off the top of the wall in straightaway center before a Harmstead sac fly gave MU the lead.
Robbie Holmes (Bernardsville, NJ/Bernards) followed with his first hit of the year, an opposite field single, to extend it to 3-1.
Ryan Steckline (Newark, DE/Appoquinimink) worked around a two-out double in the final inning to secure the win.
Rider got home runs in the second from Socrates Bardatsos and Scott Shaw, but Barker answered in the bottom half with a homer to dead center, his third in four games to cut the Rider lead to 3-2. After MU got single runs in the fourth and fifth, the Rider lead was 5-4 after give before the Broncs posted a big sixth, scoring five runs on four hits and a pair of MU errors to extend the lead to 10-4. The Hawks got runs back in the sixth and seventh, getting RBI hits from
Johnny Zega (Lincroft, NJ/Middletown South) and
Brady Mutz (Swarthmore, PA/Strath Haven) to get within 10-7, but Rider plated three in the ninth to salvage the split with a 13-7 victory.
NOTES AND QUOTES
"Barker and Steckline pieced together a nice game in the opener. Barker pitched out of some jams and Catalano had a huge play cutting the runner down at the plate. In the seventh we were able string together a few good AB's. Harmstead and Robbie had a clutch sac fly and two-out single. In the second game, we fell behind early and battled back. However, we didn't limit the damage when we had an opportunity to get out of the inning. I am sure our young guys will benefit moving forward. It was nice to see
Phil Stahl get back out there after his surgery and get his first hit of the season." – Head Coach
Dean Ehehalt
-Monmouth's Game One win was the 12
th in a row, tying the 2006 team for the third longest winning streak in school history.
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Alex Barker's home run was his team leading fourth of the season, and third in four games.
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Ryan Steckline picked up his first win of the year in the opener, becoming the seventh MU pitcher this season to earn a victory.
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James Harmstead drove in two of the three runs in the opener, his fourth multi-RBI game in 14 contests this season.
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Robbie Holmes' first hit of the season came in the first game, an opposite field RBI single.
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Phil Stahl made his season debut and picked up a hit, singling to left.
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Jaxon Dalena made his first appearance on the mound for MU.
-The Hawks are the first MAAC team to reach 12 wins this year.
NUMBERS CRUNCH
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Alex Barker fired five innings in the first game, allowing one run and no walks with four K's.
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Ryan Steckline tossed two shutout innings to earn the win.
-Rider used eight pitchers across two games, while Monmouth used seven.
-Andrey earned the win for Rider in Game Two, while Williamson picked up the save.
UP NEXT
-Monmouth takes on Rider again next Wednesday at home, with a doubleheader beginning at noon.
