FINAL SCORE
Monmouth 2 (8-16, 4-4 CAA)
William & Mary 0 (21-10, 5-3 CAA)
 
WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. – A trio of Monmouth University baseball pitchers combined to shut out William & Mary for a 2-0 victory in Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) play on Saturday. 
 
William & Mary got two of it's four hits in the game in the first inning but Alec Couture struck out the side to keep the visitors off the board. 
 
Casey Caufield led off the bottom of the first and moved to third with one-out. Austin Denlinger delivered a single to left center that scored Caufield for the early advantage. 
 
Couture set the Tribe down in order in the second through fourth innings of the game. 
 
The Hawks added to their lead in the bottom of the fourth. Denlinger reached on a fielders choice and stole second. Phil Stahl laced a one-out single through the right side for the 100th hit of his career and Denlinger scored on the play for a 2-0 advantage. 
 
William & Mary had a chance in the fifth as the first two batters of the inning reached but Couture was able to induce a double play and a fly out to get out the frame. 
 
Solid pitching and some good defensive plays down the stretch helped Monmouth secure the 2-0 win. 

NOTES & QUOTES
"The guys were excited for the season opener on our field. It's always good to play at home. We responded very well from a rough one yesterday.
 
It was a very nice team effort today, tough conditions and a real gritty effort. We were able to get great pitching today and made the plays when we needed. Alec Couture threw the ball well and competed; that is as good as he has pitched all season. We definitely needed that from Couture. Dante Ciaramella and Derek Benzinger were able to get six tough outs to finish it out.
 
Offensively, we created enough opportunities to scratch out a few runs and were able to close it out. We look forward to getting back at it tomorrow."

• Head coach Dean Ehehalt

- Monmouth snapped a two-game losing streak to the Tribe with the victory. 
- The Hawks snapped a four-game losing streak with the win over the Tribe.
- Alec Couture's nine strikeouts are tied for the most by a Monmouth picture in a game this season and a career-high for the junior.
- Phil Stahl had the 100th hit of his career in the game. He joins Casey Caufield as Hawks to reach 100 career hits this season. 
- Stahl has hit in three straight games and reached base in eight straight games. 
- Austin Denlinger has a hit in three straight games for the Hawks. 
- Chris Andrews finished with a pair of hits for his first multi-hit game of the season.  

NUMBERS CRUNCH
- Monmouth out hit the Tribe 8-4 in the contest. 
- The 11 strikeouts by the Monmouth pitching staff are tied for the most in a game this season (St. Joseph's, William & Mary).   
- The Hawks handed William & Mary its first shut out of the season.
- Alec Couture picked up his second win of the season on the hill for the Hawks. He went seven strong innings and allowed four hits while striking out nine.  
- Dante Ciaramella tossed the eighth for the Hawks and did not allow a hit with one strikeout. 
- Derek Benzinger picked up his team-leading third save of the season with a scoreless ninth. 
- Zack Potts took the loss for William & Mary as he went five innings and allowed two runs on five hits.
 
NEXT UP
Monmouth and William & Mary wrap up their series on Sunday, Apr. 7. First pitch from MU Baseball Field is slated for 1 p.m.