May 20, 2007
Box Score
West Long Branch, NJ - Monmouth defeated Wagner 7-5 in a see-saw battler in game one of today's doubleheader the MU Baseball Field. Andy Meyers broke a 5-5 tie in the bottom of the eighth with a two-run double to right field to give the Hawks the come-from-behind win. With the loss Wagner falls to 16-34 and 10-17 in the NEC while the Hawks improve to 33-20-1 and 17-9 in conference-play.
Braun put the Hawks on the board first with a sacrifice fly to center in the second.
Wagner recouped that run in the top of the third as senior Pat Rogers (Middletown, NJ / Brookdale CC) walked to lead off the frame. Freshman Damian Csakai (Freehold, NJ / Freehold) moved him over to second with a sacrifice bunt. After a passed ball allowed Rogers to move to third senior Joseph DiGeronimo (Hawthorne, NJ / Hawthorne) brought him home with a groundout to tie the game up at 1-1.
The Hawks continued the back-and-forth affair in the bottom of the third going up 2-1. Shawn Teters' two-out single to right field plated Kyle Messineo, who had singled earlier in the inning.
Wagner then took their first lead of the game in the top of the fourth. Freshman Kevin McDonnell (Bristol, CT / Avon Old Farms) collected his second hit of the day with an infield single off the pitcher. Sophomore Chris Drechsel (Cranford, NJ / Cranford) then singled on a perfectly executed hit-and-run. Freshman Kevin Payne (Staten Island, NY / St. Peter's) then laid down a beautiful bunt hit and on the play the Monmouth catcher tried to pick McDonnell off of third but his throw sailed down the left field line allowing McDonnell and Drechsel to score to make it 3-2 Wagner.
Monmouth reclaimed the lead in the fifth with a pair of runs. With runners on second and third with two outs Teters singled to third to bring home Kyle Higgins before Messineo came in as well on the throw.
Drechsel doubled for his third hit of the day to lead off the sixth and advanced to third on a Payne sacrifice before scoring on a Rogers ground out to tie the game up at 4-4.
Wagner then took the lead in the seventh inning when senior Ed Sudol (Wallington, NJ / Wallington) doubled off the right field fence to score classmate Matt Mastrianni (Ringoes, NJ / Hunterdon Central), who had singled with two outs.
In the bottom of the eighth, the Hawks used some timely hitting and some good fortune to wrestle the lead back. John Dennis led off with a single. Kyle Higgins then bunted down the right field line and when it was apparent the ball wasn't going to roll foul Wagner was unable to get the Monmouth lead off hitter at first. Messineo moved the pair over a base each with a sacrifice but on the play an errant throw to third allowed pinch runner Brett Holland to score and tie the game up at 5-5 while Higgins moved to third and Messineo second. Andy Meyers then provided the decisive hit with a double to right field.
The Seahawks would go 1-2-3 in the ninth against Monmouth closer Justin Esposito, who earned his ninth save in the process.
Monmouth reliever Kyle Breese (3-4) struck out four over 2.0 innings of relief while yielding one run to pick up the win.
Freshman rhp Bobby Tretola (Union, NJ / Roselle Catholic) struck out three over 7.0 innings but yielded seven runs, six earned, in taking the loss.
Drechsel went 3-4 with two runs and a double while Mastrianni and McDonnell each had two hits and a run to lead the Wagner-offense.
