WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ – Phil Stahl hit a go-ahead home run in the fifth as Monmouth University Baseball racked upo 16 runs on 15 hits and erased a 9-0 deficit to beat NJIT Wednesday, 16-13. Three Hawks drove in three runs apiece and Jay Bant and Skyler Saunders joined Stahl in hitting homers to back up freshman Nick Galvan, who earned his first career win.
 
Down 9-0, Monmouth got on the board unconventionally, when James Harmstead nearly hit a grand slam but the ball ricocheted off the center fielder and the outfield wall, eventually ending up as a three-run triple to make it 9-3. After making a diving stop to end the top of the inning, Jay Bant led off with a solo homer the other way and Austin Denlinger later singled home a pair to trim it to 9-6.
 
NJIT went back up 11-6 before MU posted a huge eighth inning to take the lead. Bant lined a double to the left-center field gap, and two costly errors by NJIT totaled four MU runs to tie the game. With two aboard and the game knotted at 11, Stahl unloaded a three-run homer to make it 14-11. Entering the home eighth, MU led just 14-12 before Skyler Saunders hit his first home run as a Hawk to make it 15-12. Galvan completed his stellar outing to earn the win and lock down the 16-13 victory.
 
NOTES AND QUOTES
 
"We battled and had a real balanced attack on offense. Our lineup capitalized on some opportunities and we got some big hits.  Galvan threw the ball well and was able to close it out.  We fell behind early and battled our way back. Defensively we made some solid plays in big spots and created some momentum in the middle of the game. A real balanced attack, run production at the top of the order and a solid contribution from the bottom of the order. Harmstead got us started with the triple, Stahl hit the big three-run homer and Saunders gave us some insurance. Galvan was outstanding." – Head Coach Dean Ehehalt

-Nick Galvan earned his first career win.
-Jay Bant hit his first home run of the season.
-Stahl now leads Monmouth with four home runs.
-Every Hawk in the lineup had a hit for the second straight day.
-This marked the third three-RBI game of the year for Austin Denlinger.
-The triple was the first of James Harmstead's career.
-Andrew Schmid scored four runs, a career high and the most by a Hawk in a game this season.
-MU matched a season best with three home runs as a team.
-Jonathan Peterson made his first career start on the mound.
-Monmouth is now a perfect 12-0 against NJIT all time.
 
NUMBERS CRUNCH
-Monmouth outhit NJIT 15-11.
-NJIT made all five errors in the game.
-MU pitching struck out 11 Highlanders.
-Nick Galvan threw 4.1 innings, allowing two runs on three hits with three strikeouts.
 
UP NEXT
-Monmouth heads to Greensboro, NC to open a three-game CAA series with North Carolina A&T Friday at 6:00 p.m.