FINAL SCORE 
Monmouth 9 (19-19, 6-7 CAA)
Elon 4 (14-23, 5-8 CAA)
 
WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ – The Monmouth University baseball team scored the final six runs of the game and battled for a 9-4 win over Elon University in Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) action on Friday afternoon. 
 
Elon jumped out to an early lead with two runs in the top of the first. 
 
The Hawks responded in their half of the frame. Jay Bant roped an RBI double before Chris Walsh had a two-run triple. Monmouth led 3-2 after one full inning of action. 
 
Elon went back on top in the third as Ryan Sprock had a two-run home run. The visitors held a 4-3 lead. 
 
The Hawks retook the lead in the bottom of the fourth. Shane Dux delivered an RBI double which tied the game before Harry Padden reached on an error and Dux scored on the play. 
 
It remained a 5-4 game until the bottom of the eighth, when the Hawks sent seven men to the plate and scored four times. Nick Lovarco had an RBI single before Dux delivered a two-out two-run single and scored on Padden's double. 
 
Derek Benzinger had a 1-2-3 top of the ninth to close out the 9-4 win for the Hawks. 

NOTES 
- The Hawks picked up their second win all-time against Elon and their first win over the Phoenix at home. Elon leads the all-time series 5-2. 
- The Hawks picked up their 19th win of the season, bettering their win total from a year ago (18).
- The win was the first for Monmouth in game one of a CAA series this season. 
- Chris Andrews picked up his 37th hit of the season and 92nd of his career. He needs eight more base knocks to reach 100 for his career. 
- Harry Padden had a pair of base knocks and has hit safely in 11 straight games.  

NUMBERS CRUNCH
- The Hawks had four stolen bases in the game and raised their season total to 87 steals. This year's squad needs two more steals to tie the 2001 squad for the second most steals in a season at Monmouth. 
- Jay Bant's first inning RBI was his team leading 45th of the season. He is ranked top two in the CAA for RBIs this season. 
- Chris Walsh is now tied for the team lead in triples with three. 
- Shane Dux tied his season-high in hits (2), runs (2) and RBIs (3).
- Brendan Kenneally tossed 2.1 innings of hitless relief work. Kenneally has now not allowed a run in his last 6.1 innings of action. 
- Tommy Kent picked up his second win of the season after going 5.2 innings and striking out two. 
- Justin Mitrovich took the loss for Elon after giving up five runs on seven hits in seven innings of work. 

NEXT UP
Monmouth and Elon play the middle game of the weekend set on Saturday, Apr. 19 at 1 p.m.