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WEST LONG BRANCH – After a brutal season-opening southern swing against three NCAA DI top-25 teams, including No.24 Dallas Baptist (17-2), No.20 Florida Atlantic (20-3) and No.25 East Carolina (15-7) left them standing with a deceiving 0-9 record, the Monmouth University Hawks rebounded nicely winning 3-of-4 games at the PK5 Classic in Richmond, Virginia March 13-17.
The Hawks (3-11) won the opener of the classic for their first win of the season as senior righty T.J. Hunt (1-2) and lefty red-shirt freshman Justin Andrew’s combined on a four-hit shutout blanking Virginia Commonwealth 3-0. Hunt went 6.2 innings allowing four hits, walked one and struck out three. Andrew’s picked up his first save of the season in 2.1 innings of perfect relief setting down all seven batters he faced with one strikeout. Monmouth banged out nine hits with junior left fielder Dan Shea going 2-for-4 with a double and run batted in.
Monmouth lost 8-4 to University of Minnesota in the second game of the classic before Shea drilled a walk-off double in the bottom of the ninth to give the Hawks a 7-6 comeback win over James Madison for their second win of the season. Sophomore catcher Ryan Baily and red-shirt freshman third baseman Shaine Hughes each had two RBI’s while freshman right hander Matt Littrell (1-0) picked up his first win of the season tossing two scoreless innings in the eighth and ninth allowing one hit.
Virginia Commonwealth was the Hawks opponent in the final game of the classic and the Hawks shut out the Rams for the second time in as many games. Junior left-handed pitcher Frank Trimarco threw seven shutout innings and Andrews blanked the Rams the rest of the way as the Hawks downed the Rams 7-0. Trimarco gave up seven hits, struck out seven and walked one while Andrews allowed two hits and struck out one.
Sophomore second baseman Grant Lamberton blasted a bases-clearing three-run double in the top of the first to put Monmouth up 5-0 while sophomore right fielder Chris Gaetano went 2-for-4 with three RBI’s and a run scored. Senior centerfielder Steve Wilgus had two hits, drove in a run and scored a run and freshman Justin Trochiano – an All-Division selection last season at Marlboro H.S. – came off the bench to contribute two hits and a run scored.
“I’m really proud of our guys,” said Monmouth head coach Dean Ehehalt. “We have played a very demanding schedule and are starting to see the benefits of that. We’re starting to play extremely well in all facets of the game.”
Last season the Hawks finished 24-25 overall and 12-10 in their first season as a member of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC). They placed fourth in the final MAAC standings and qualified for the MAAC Tournament before losing in the semifinals.
Monmouth had to replace six positional starters from that team including first-team All-MAAC selections second baseman Jake Gronsky and outfielder Craig Sweeney. However, back for the Hawks is Wilgus (.277 BA, eight 2B, 16 RBI, 28 RS) in centerfield, Lamberton (.280 BA, eight 2B, 20 RBI, 19 RS) at second base, Toms River South graduate Kyle Perry (.248 BA, four 2B, seven RBI, 10 RS in 34 games with 31 starts.) behind the plate and junior shortstop Robbie Alessandrine (.266 BA, 14 RBI, 17 RS in 41 games with 37 starts).
Shea started in the field eight times last season while Gaetano saw action in 20 games with 17 starts and sophomore designated hitter Cary Jacobson played in 25 games with 10 starts hitting .233 with nine RBI’s.
The Hawks return two of their top four starters from a year ago including second-team All-MAAC pick and former Toms River South star Chris McKenna (0-3), who went 4-4 in 11 starts with a 2.93 earned run average in 73.2 IP last season and Hunt, who was 6-5 with a 4.95 ERA in 12 starts with 67.1 innings pitched. Junior lefty Anthony Ciavarella (0-3) and Trimarco (1-2) each had two starts last season are in this year’s rotation.
Including Perry, Trochiano and McKenna the Hawks roster numbers 10 former Shore Conference players with freshmen Pete Papcun (CBA), Ryan Byrd (Middletown North), and Connor Gammond (St. Rose), sophomore Tyler Saito (Manasquan) and juniors Sean Arnott (CBA), Connor White (Wall) and Harry Paytas (Wall) all expected to contribute.
Monmouth’s four-game weekend series with Wagner was cancelled due to our endless winter.
— By Mike Ready
