TOWSON, Md. – The Towson University baseball team hosted Monmouth in the first game of a three-game, Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) series on Friday afternoon at John B. Schuerholz Park.
 
Monmouth (3-7, 1-0 CAA) jumped out to an early lead after putting up five runs in the first. Towson (5-5, 0-1 CAA) answered in the home half, scoring three. The Hawks added six runs on eight hits in the fifth, and before the Tigers scored two in the bottom half, added one in the eighth to win, 12-5.
 
Key Stats:

• Towson starter Matt Lynch (0-2) took the loss after allowing five earned runs on three hits and two walks in 1.0 innings pitched.
• Monmouth starter Ryan Mealy (1-0) earned the win, allowing five earned runs on ten hits in 5.0 innings pitched. Mealy struck out four and walked one. Kevin Opanel earned his first win of the season after tossing 4.0 shutout frames to close the game.

 
How it Happened:

• Monmouth got out to a 5-0 lead after the top of the first as Lynch walked two and gave up three hits in his lone frame of the day.
• Nich Francuzenko hit a leadoff single in the bottom of the first and was driven home two batters later on Brian Heckelman's home run to left field. Later in the frame with two runners on, Nick LoBello singled up the middle to add another run.
• The Hawks added six runs on eight hits in the fifth, pushing their lead to eight runs.
• Keldrin Rodriguez homered to right field in the home half, a two-run shot, to cut the deficit to six.
• Walsh's infield single to short with two runners in scoring pushing gave Monmouth its 12^th run of the game.
• The Tigers stranded two bases runners in the final two frames and fell, 12-5, in the series opener.

 
On Deck:
The Tigers and Hawks will square off in game two of the series tomorrow at 2 p.m. at John B. Schuerholz Park.