GREENVILLE, SC – Monmouth University Baseball (4-1) exploded for 18 runs on 22 hits, homering four times in an 18-9 victory over SoCon favorite Wofford College (2-3) Friday in Greenville. Trey Dombroski fired six two-hit innings, while James Harmstead had four hits and Dixon Black drove in four and scored four times.
 
Casey Caufield opened the afternoon with a first-pitch double into the left field corner before scoring on Alex Barker's lined single to right. After Wofford tied it on a homer in the bottom of the first, MU struck for three in the third on a wild pitch and RBI hits from Joey Ventresca and Brady Mutz. This set off a run for Dombroski in retiring the final 13 batters he faced consecutively as Monmouth added to the lead. Dombroski was helped by his defense in the second, with Jake Catalano laying out for a highlight-reel grab to prevent an extra base hit.
 
The Hawks broke it open in the fourth, scoring five times to widen the lead to 9-1. Black launched a three-run homer over the Green Monster at the Greenville Drive's Fluor Field, and Ventresca later hit a two-run shot off the scoreboard in right center. Another big inning followed in the sixth, with Harmstead crushing a two-run home run to dead center. Mutz added an RBI hit and Jay Bant knocked in his first career run with a sac fly.
 
A five-run seventh got Wofford within 13-6, but Monmouth responded immediately with five in the eighth behind five hits. Ben Winstead drove in a run with a triple before Black notched an RBI hit. Harmstead laced an RBI double inside the left field line before Barker homered for the second time in as many weekends. Stephen Aldrich came on to get the final seven outs in an 18-9 MU win.
 
NOTES AND QUOTES


"Good team win! Trey was solid; he really locked in after the first inning and set the tone. Our guys swung the bats well and created some big innings with some good strike-zone discipline and timely hits. There were many big hits and nice plays, none better than Catalano's web gem early in the game. We look forward to getting back out there tomorrow." – Head Coach Dean Ehehalt
 
-The 18 runs and 22 hits are the most since May 9, 2021 at Saint Peters, when the Hawks also scored 18 times and had 22 hits.
-MU hit four home runs for the first time in a game since March 30, 2019 at Saint Peter's.
-Monmouth has now beaten the preseason favorite in the CAA and the Southern Conference.
-James Harmstead posted his first career four-hit game.
-Trey Dombroski retired 13 straight in his second consecutive six-inning outing.
-Dombroski allowed just two hits, the second least of his career after last week.
-Casey Caufield notched his first career extra base hit.
-Dixon Black posted his second career four-hit contest and first time scoring four runs.
-Alex Barker posted his first career three-hit game and homered for the second weekend in a row.
-Joey Ventresca added his first career three-hit game and homered for the first time this season.
-Jake Catalano's three-hit game was the first of his career, and the third straight game he had multiple hits.
-Jay Bant knocked in the first run of his career.
-Ben Winstead drove in a run for the second straight game and hit his first career triple.

NUMBERS CRUNCH
-MU outhit Wofford 22-8.
-Dombroski's line finished at six innings, allowing a run on two hits with one walk and seven K's.
-Marcoccio took the loss for Wofford, allowing four runs in three innings.
 
UP NEXT
-Monmouth takes on Notre Dame in a doubleheader tomorrow with first pitch set for 2:00 p.m.