FINAL SCORE
Monmouth 10 (1-2)
Penn State 3 (2-1)

CARY, N.C. – Center fielder Harry Padden hit for the cycle to power the Monmouth University baseball team to its first win of the season, a dominating 10-3 victory over Penn State University on Saturday afternoon.
 
The Hawks wasted little time plating their first run in this one. Eric Sabato laced a two-out single through the left side which plated Joey Ventresca. Jay Bant drove the next pitch of the game over the right field fence for a three-run home run and Monmouth led 4-0 after the top of the first.
 
Penn State got two back in the bottom of the first, but the Hawks put a three-spot on the board in the top of the third and extended their lead to 7-2. Padden had an RBI double in the frame while Matt Scrivanic had an RBI single in his second at-bat of the year.
 
Both teams put runs on the board in the sixth. 
 
Padden had an RBI triple in the seventh that made it an 9-3 game. The graduate student led off the top of the ninth with a home run to left that made the final score 10-3.

NOTES & QUOTES
"It was a very solid team win today. We played hard and with purpose. Our guys swung the bats well today, received excellent pitching and played solid defense. In the first inning, some veteran at-bats that do not show up in the box score allowed us to get to Jay and he provided the big hit. Our guys really competed on the mound: Alec Couture, Caden Carlin and Derek Benzinger were outstanding. Offensively, we had a bunch of quality at-bats throughout the game. Harry Padden hitting for the cycle was fun to watch. He has been working hard and everyone is happy for him."
    - Head coach Dean Ehehalt 

- Monmouth picked up its first win of the season.
- The Hawks move to 5-7 all-time against Penn State with a split of the two games this weekend. 
- Harry Padden becomes the first Hawk in at least the last 31 years to hit for the cycle in a game. He accomplished the feat with a single in the second, a double in the third, a triple in the seventh and a home run in the ninth.
- All three of the Hawks pitchers who saw time in the contest were making their Monmouth debuts – Alec Couture, Caden Carlin and Derek Benzinger. 
- Matt Scrivanic earned his first start of the year at shortstop.

NUMBERS CRUNCH
- Monmouth finished with a 14-12 edge for hits in the game. Six of the Hawks' 14 base knocks in the game went for extra bases. 
- Padden, who was 4-for-4 on the day with three RBIs and two runs scored, also reached base after being hit by a pitch in the sixth.
- Eric Sabato posted his second multi-hit game of the season as he went 3-for-5 with a pair of runs scored.
- Jay Bant finished with a career-high four RBIs in the contest. 
- The Hawks got a solid performance on the mound from a trio of pitchers today. 
- Alec Couture started and went three innings, while surrendering two runs, one of which was earned with five strikeouts. 
-  Caden Carlin picked up the win in his first collegiate appearance. He tossed three innings of one run ball.
- Derek Benzinger picked up the save after going three innings and allowing just three hits with two strikeouts. 
- Carson Kohls took the loss for Penn State after giving up seven runs on seven hits in 2.2 innings of work. 
 
NEXT UP
Monmouth wraps up its opening weekend of action when it takes on Army at 9:45 a.m. from the USA Baseball National Training Complex.