FINAL SCORE 
Monmouth 13 (18-19)
Rutgers 2 (17-20)
 
WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ – The Monmouth University baseball team jumped out to an 8-0 lead after three innings and rolled to a 13-2 win over Rutgers University on Tuesday afternoon.
 
The Hawks earned their first win over Rutgers since 2016 and improved to 5-1 this season against teams from the state of New Jersey.
 
Monmouth wasted little time in getting on the board as the Hawks sent six men to the plate and scored two runs in the bottom of the first.
 
The Hawks put four on the board in the bottom of the second and extended their lead to 6-0. Jay Bant had a two-run double for the Hawks while Chris Andrews lifted a sac fly and Nick Lovarco added an RBI double of his own.
 
RBI base hits from Aidan Bretschneider and Jay Bant in the third inning pushed the Monmouth lead to 8-0. 
 
During this time, the Hawks' pitching staff was handling things. Monmouth allowed just four base runners through the first five innings and only one of those runners reached third.
 
Monmouth put up another big inning in the fifth as the Hawks sent eight men to plate and scored five runs. Chris Andrews, Nick Lovarco and Simmi Whitehill all drove in runs with singles as Monmouth pushed its lead to 13-0. 
 
Rutgers broke through on the scoreboard with a pair of runs in the top of the eighth. 
 
Rutgers loaded the bases in the top of the ninth, but Derek Benzinger was able to get a double play ball to close out the 13-2 win.

NOTES 
- The win was the first for the Hawks over Rutgers since a 12-2 win in 2016. The Scarlet Knights lead the all-time series 35-10. 
- Monmouth improves to 5-1 on the season against teams from the state of New Jersey (wins over NJIT, FDU, Saint Peter's, Princeton, Rutgers – loss to Rider).
- The Hawks scored at least 10 runs for the second straight game as the Hawks improve to 13-2 this season when scoring 10 or more runs. 
- The win over Rutgers was Monmouth's 18th victory of the season. That matches the Hawks' win total from a year ago with 18 games remaining in the regular season. 
- Casey Caufield had a pair of base hits and has now reached base safely in 32 straight games. 

NUMBERS CRUNCH
- Monmouth had 17 hits in the game, which is tied for the second most hits in a game this season by the Hawks.
- Jay Bant led the Hawks with four base hits, his fourth game this season with four or more base knocks. 
- Chris Andrews lifted his team and CAA leading sixth sac fly of the season. 
- The Hawks 2-5 hitters (Jay Bant, Chris Andrews, Nick Lovarco and Simmi Whitehill) combined for 11 hits and 11 RBIs in the contest. 
- Aidan Bretschneider's three hits and three runs scored were both career-highs. 
- The Monmouth pitching staff combined to hold Rutgers to just four hits in the game. 
- Jimmy Wigo picked up the win for the Hawks after pitching a scoreless top of the fifth. 
- Zach Gleason took the loss for Rutgers after giving up six run in 1.1 innings.

NEXT UP
Monmouth is back in action on Friday, Apr. 18 when it begins a three-game set against Elon at 3 p.m.