FAIRFIELD, CT – Monmouth University Baseball (24-13) had its season conclude in the 2021 MAAC Tournament on Thursday, falling to top-seeded Fairfield University (36-2) in an elimination game, 3-1. Trey Dombroski (Manasquan, NJ/Wall) threw 7.1 shutout relief innings and the Hawks brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth before falling.
 
Fairfield scored all three of their runs in the opening inning, loading the bases with no outs. After a strikeout, the Stags got on the board with a sac fly before Charlie Pagliarini hit a chopper that just got over the head of Johnny Zega (Lincroft, NJ/Middletown South) at third to score two and make it 3-0. Dombroski shut down the Fairfield offense the rest of the way.
 
Two singles and a hit by pitch loaded the bases with Hawks in the fourth. Following a strikeout, Fairfield turned a double play on a close play at third to end the inning. In the ninth, MU got a double off the bat of James Harmstead (Manasquan, NJ/Manasquan) and an RBI single the other way from Dixon Black (Archbald, PA/Valley View) to get on the board. Robbie Holmes (Bernardsville, NJ/Bernards) represented the tying run, but John Signore came out of the bullpen for the Stags to close the game out.
 
NOTES AND QUOTES
 
"We battled against a real good Fairfield team and came up short. Trey pitched his heart out and we couldn't push enough runs across.  Once again, we battled to the last pitch, which has been consistent with how we have played all season; never quit and fight until the end. The guys had a great regular season. It is a testament to our older guys to endure the ending of the 2020 season, then to come out this year and have a memorable year. I'll miss those guys and appreciate all their contributions on and off the field.  We look forward to getting back to the MAAC Championships next season." – Head Coach Dean Ehehalt
 
-Monmouth finishes the season with 24 wins, the second most in the MAAC.
-Jalen Jenkins finishes the season as Monmouth's leading hitter at .359.
-Alex Barker closes the year as the team leader in home runs (8) and RBI's (28).
-Trey Dombroski made his first career relief appearance.
-James Harmstead notched the seventh multi-hit game of his freshman season.
-Joey Ventresca picked up his team-best fourth pinch hit.

NUMBERS CRUNCH
-Dombroski threw 7.1 shutout relief innings, striking out seven and walking just one.
-Jake Noviello threw 8.2 innings for Fairfield to earn the win, while John Signore picked up the save by recording the final out.
-Both teams had seven hits in the game.

UP NEXT
-Monmouth concludes the season at 24-13.