WILMINGTON, NC – Brady Mutz lifted a three-run home run to cap a five-run eighth inning, propelling Monmouth University Baseball to a 7-4 win in the second game of a doubleheader at UNC Wilmington Saturday. Monmouth dropped the opening game of the twinbill to the Seahawks, 18-5.
 
After UNCW took a 3-0 lead with a pair of runs in the fifth, Monmouth got back into it in the seventh. Four base hits in five batters resulted in a pair of runs, with Mutz and Andrew Schmid driving in a run apiece to trim it to 3-2. After UNCW got a run in the bottom half on an error, Monmouth mounted a big eighth inning. Phil Stahl singled leading off, and after a walk, Mason Wolf singled in a run to make it 4-3. With two aboard, Mutz launched the leading three-run homer to right to make it 6-4, and Eric Sabato would add an RBI single to make it 7-4. With two on in the bottom of the ninth, Schmid made a diving stop at third to record the final out and secure the win.
 
In the opener, MU homered three times in the opening two innings. Sabato homered leading off the game, and James Harmstead launched a two-run shot later in the first to make it 3-0. The Seahawks answered with five in the bottom half, but Wolf's first career homer made it 5-4 before Sabato doubled inside third to tie things at five. UNC Wilmington would score in the next three innings to add to their lead, ultimately winning 18-4.
 
NOTES AND QUOTES
 
"Great team win in the second game. Jem, Fraher and Aldrich pieced together nine innings against a very good offense. Fraher kept us within striking distance and Steve closed it out.
We needed something to spark us when we were down 3-0; the bottom half of the order did so. Mutz with big homer, Schmid and Sabato with big hits as well. Very resilient offensively; we hit some balls hard early and had little to show for it. We made the plays when we needed to." – Head Coach Dean Ehehalt

Game One
-Mason Wolf hit his first career home run.
-Phil Stahl extended his hitting streak to 11 games.
-Eric Sabato hit his second home run of the season and first since February 25.
-James Harmstead hit his second homer of the year.
 
Game Two
-This marked Monmouth's first ever CAA win.
-Brady Mutz hit his second home run of the season, both of which have come in the eighth inning.
-Phil Stahl extended his hitting streak to 12 games.
-Mason Wolf drove in a run for the third time in four games.
-Mutz posted his third three-hit game.
-Mutz drove in a career-high four runs.
-Jake Fraher earned the win in his third straight outing.
-Stephen Aldrich picked up his first save of the season and sixth of his career.
 
NUMBERS CRUNCH

Game One
-UNCW had 20 hits to six for MU.
-The teams combined for nine home runs.
-Gaither threw 7.1 one-hit innings for the Seahawks to earn the win.
 
Game Two
-MU outhit UNC Wilmington, 11-8.
-Jake Fraher threw 2.2 innings, not allowing an earned run.
-Aldrich threw two shutout frames, allowing just two hits.
 
UP NEXT
-Monmouth is at Seton Hall Wednesday at 4:00 p.m.