WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. – The Monmouth baseball team jumped out to an 8-0 lead after four innings and cruised to a 12-2 win over Rider University in eight innings on Sunday afternoon.
 
After a scoreless top of the first from Alec Couture, the Hawks immediately went to work in their half of the frame. The Hawks plated the first run of the game on a Simmi Whitehill groundout. Monmouth pushed its lead to 2-0 on Brendan Buecker's RBI single. 
 
The Hawks sent seven men to the plate and scored three times to push their lead to 5-0. Chris Walsh led off the frame with a home run to left. The Hawks got a sac bunt from Buecker to plate another one before Jimmy Bruno delivered a two-out RBI double.
 
A two-run triple from Wyatt Hunt and a sac fly from Nick Lovarco in the fourth inning extended the home team's advantage to 8-0.
 
Rider scored a run in the fifth and one in the sixth and made it an 8-2 game. 
 
The Hawks added a run in the sixth before Walsh's second home run of the day, this time a two-run shot, made it an 11-2 game in the bottom of the seventh.
 
Monmouth closed out the game on the run rule in the bottom of the eighth. Jimmy Bruno led off with a walk and came around to score as Colin Richter reached on a fielders choice. That made the final score 12-2 in favor of the Hawks.
 
Notes

• Sunday's victory was the 24th of the season for the Hawks. The Hawks matched their win total from a year ago with 10 games to play.
• The Hawks registered six stolen bases on the year and moved to 5-1 on the year when they steal six or more bases.
• Chris Walsh stole his 22nd base of the season. The last Hawk to steal 22 bases in a season was Walsh's brother, JP Walsh during the 2019 season. 
• Monmouth scored 12 runs against the Broncs. The Hawks moved to 10-1 on the year when they score 10 or more runs in a game.
•  Walsh becomes the second Hawk this season to hit two home runs in a game (Nick Lovarco-twice).
• Wyatt Hunt led the Hawks with three hits in the game and was a home run short of the cycle.
• Colin Richter scored a pair of runs and has scored at least one run in three straight games. The Hawks move to 5-1 on the year when Richter scores multiple runs in a game.
• Alec Couture became the third Hawk to win four games this season. He started and went five innings and allowed one run while striking out six. It's the fifth time this season Couture has struck out at least five batters.

Up Next

• The Hawks are back in action on Friday, May 1 when they begin a three-game set against Northeastern. Game one of that series between the two CAA North leaders will air on NBC Sports Philadelphia + in addition to FloCollege.