Manhattan Drops Two At Monmouth

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2  
Game Two: Box Score (PDF) | Box Score (HTML)
Game One: Box Score (PDF) | Box Score (HTML)

West Long Branch, NJ - Monmouth swept a doubleheader from Manhattan by scores of 17-7 and 6-1 at the MU Baseball Field.

The Jaspers fall to 20-22 and 9-5 in the MAAC while the Hawks improve to 18-20 and 8-6 in the league.

Game Two
Monmouth took game two by a 6-1 count thanks to a quick start.

Fueled by a pair of errors, the Hawks jumped in front with four early runs in the bottom of the first inning.

The Jaspers would immediately answer with a two-out rally in the top of the second but the damage could have been worse. Senior Michael Pfenninger (Flemington, NJ / Hunterdon Central) worked a full-count, two-out walk before sophomore Alex Cerda (Miami, FL / Florida Christian Prep) crushed a run-scoring double off the top of the fence. Graduate student Evan Brown (Asburnham, MA / Bridgeton Academy (ME)) followed with a walk before senior Brendan Bisset (New City, NY / Don Bosco Prep) was plunked. Unfortunately, Dan Klepchick would induce an inning-ending fly out.

Monmouth would get that run back in the bottom of the fourth thanks to a Shaine Hughes RBI single.

In the top of the sixth, freshman Matt Padre (Flemington, NJ / Hunterdon Central) reached via an error to open the frame before moving to second on a two-out Pfenninger single. Unfortunately, the rally would go for naught as Cerda crushed a ball to center field that the Kyle Norman was able to snare in registering the final out of the frame.

The Hawks would add one more run in the bottom of the sixth as John LaRocca led off with a triple before coming home on a JP Walsh RBI single.

Graduate student RHP Matt Simonetti (Manalapan, NJ / Manalapan) was the tough-luck losing pitcher, striking out five while yielding six runs, three earned, on eight hits over 5.0 innings.

Klepchick earned the complete game win, striking out eight while surrendering one run on five hits and two walks over 7.0 innings while Hughes was 3-for-3 at the plate with a double, run and RBI.

Game One
Monmouth took advantage of six Manhattan errors en route to posting a 17-7 win in the opener.

Freshman Matt Padre (Flemington, NJ / Hunterdon Central) paced an 11-hit Jasper offense, finishing up 3-for-5 with a home run and two RBI.

Graduate student Matt Forlow (Cold Spring, NY / Haldane) added two doubles, a run and a RBI while classmate Evan Brown (Asburnham, MA / Bridgton Academy (ME)) had two hits and two runs. Junior Richie Barrella (Larchmont, NY / Canterbury Prep) rounded out the multi-hit performers for Manhattan, finishing with two hits, a run and a RBI.

Hughes was 5-for-6 with four RBI and three runs to lead an 18-hit effort for the Hawks.

RHP Ricky Dennis yielded three runs, one earned, on eight hits over 7.0 innings in notching the win.

The teams will conclude their series on Sunday, April 29 at 2:00 pm.