FINAL SCORE 
Monmouth 10  (14-15)
Saint Peter's 9 (7-20)

WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ – Jay Bant hit a home run leading off in the bottom of the ninth to give the Monmouth University baseball team a 10-9 walk off win over Saint Peter's University on Wednesday afternoon. 
 
It was the Hawks' second walk off win of the season. 
 
A pair of RBI doubles gave the Peacocks a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. 
 
A three-run home run from Ashby Vining in the top of the second pushed the Saint Peter's lead to 5-0. The Peacocks tacked on another run in the third and took a 6-0 advantage.
 
Monmouth got one back in the bottom of the third as Harry Padden reached on an error and Wyatt Hunt scored on the play. 
 
A solo home run in the top of the fourth pushed the Saint Peter's lead to 7-1.
 
The Hawks began their comeback in earnest in the bottom of the fourth as Nick Lovarco snuck a two-run double inside the left field line and made it a 7-3 game. 
 
The bottom of the fifth saw the Hawks send nine men to the plate and scored five runs for an 8-7 lead. Bant and Chris Walsh had RBI doubles in the frame before Lovarco's single scored two and put the Hawks on top.
 
An RBI single from Bant pushed the lead to 9-7 in the sixth.
 
Saint Peter's scored two in the top of the eighth and tied things up.
 
After a scoreless top of the ninth, Bant sent the second pitch he saw over the fence in center field for the 10-9 win.

NOTES 
- It was the 53rd meeting all-time between the Hawks and Peacocks and first time since 2023. Monmouth leads the series 38-15 and has won five straight against the Peacocks. 
- The Hawks moved to 3-1 on the year against teams from the state of New Jersey (wins over NJIT, FDU, Saint Peter's; loss to Rider).
- It was Hawks' second walk off win of the year (both at home) and the ninth time in 14 games that Monmouth has trailed in a game and came back to win.
- Casey Caufield walked in the fifth and extended his streak of reaching base safely to 25 straight games. 
- The walk was also Caufield's 21st of the season and 100th of his career. Caufield is the eighth player in school history to record 100 or more career walks and first since Grant Lamberton and Dan Shea in 2017.   

NUMBERS CRUNCH
- Nick Lovarco finished with four RBIs to lead the Hawks. It's the second time in the last three games and third time this season he has recorded four or more RBIs in a game.
- Jay Bant went 4-for-5 with three RBIs and three runs scored. It's the second time this season Bant has had multiple extra base hits in a game. 
- Harry Padden stole two bases in the game. It's his third game this season with multiple stolen bases. It also gives him 16 stolen bases for the season which is a new career-high.
- Jacob Ciccone had three strikeouts in 4.2 innings of work for the Hawks. It was his most strikeouts as a Hawk.
- Kevin Opanel picked up his second win of the season with 1.2 innings of hitless relief. 
- Will Paxton took the loss for the Peacocks as he gave up one run in two innings of action. 

NEXT UP
Monmouth returns to action on Friday, Apr. 4 when it hosts College of Charleston at 3 p.m.