WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ – Monmouth University Baseball bounced back in a big way, racking up 14 runs in a 14-2 win in the nightcap after falling to Siena College in the opener of the MAAC quarterfinal series Friday. James Harmstead totaled four hits on the day, Dixon Black homered twice and Trey Dombroski struck out 10 to advance the Hawks to Saturday's series finale.
 
Facing elimination, MU jumped out immediately in the second game, homering twice in the opening inning with a pair of two-run shots from Jalen Jenkins and Black. After Dombroski surrendered a pair in the second, the Hawks to score two on an Alex Barker wind-aided base hit. Matt Graber ripped a single to left in the third to make it 7-2, and Harmstead and Barker combined to bring in two more in the fourth and extend the lead to 9-2. Dombroski rolled a 6-4-3 double play ball to end the fifth, with Harmstead and Brady Mutz both doubling off the wall in the sixth to score three and give the Hawks a 10-run cushion. Stephen Aldrich was stellar in relief, and Black added a late two-run homer, his second of the game, as Monmouth won 14-2 to advance to Saturday's decisive final game.
 
Siena hit a pair of solo homers in the first two innings of the opener, but Harmstead homered himself in the third, a two-run shot to give the Hawks a 3-2 lead. However, Siena responded with a pair of crooked numbers, scoring five in the fourth before getting six unearned runs in the sixth to take the opening game, 13-5.
 
NOTES AND QUOTES

"It was nice to see the team bounce back after that first game. We were able to score early and jumped out on top in the bottom of the first; Jalen got us going and then Dixon homered. Offensively we were able to keep tacking on runs and padding our lead. The middle of the order carried us today. Trey competed extremely well today; pounded the zone and gave us six plus solid innings.  Aldrich was solid out of the pen. We look forward to playing tomorrow." – Head Coach Dean Ehehalt
 
-Monmouth hosted a postseason game for the first time in Dean Ehehalt's tenure.
-Black is the first Hawk with two homers in a game since JD Andreessen on March 30, 2019 at Saint Peter's.
-Trey Dombroski tied for the team lead, winning his fifth game and struck out 10 for the fourth time this season. 10 K's is his career high.
-The Hawks are now 7-1 in games Trey Dombroski starts.
-Black's four RBI's marked a career best.
-Johnny Zega posted his first three-hit game of the season.
-James Harmstead totaled four hits, four RBI's and four runs scored with two extra base hits across the two games.
-Jalen Jenkins added his fourth three-hit game of the year.
-Cory Hiltz struck out six out of the pen in Game One, his career best.
 
NUMBERS CRUNCH
-MU outhit Siena 14-11 in the nightcap.
-Trey Dombroski went 6.2 innings, striking out 10 and allowing two runs on nine hits.
-Stephen Aldrich struck out three in 2.1 shutout frames.
-Siena used seven pitchers across two games.
-Bovair got the opening game win for the Saints, while Lumpinski took the loss in the second contest.
 
UP NEXT
-Monmouth and Siena will play a decisive Game Three tomorrow at noon in West Long Branch, with the winner advancing to the 2021 MAAC Championships next week. The game will air on ESPN+.