WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. – The Towson University baseball team concluded its Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) series against Monmouth on Sunday afternoon at the MU Baseball Field.
Towson (15-18, 4-14 CAA) and Monmouth (19-13, 14-4 CAA) combined for five home runs in the first four innings as the Hawks held a 6-5 lead. The Tigers tied the game in the seventh before Monmouth added four runs on three hits in the eighth inning. Down to their last out in the ninth, the Tigers scored two runs before leaving the tying run at second base as the final out was retired in the Hawks' 10-8 win.
Key Stats:
- Towson pitcher Jacob Whiteman (1-1) took the loss after allowing four earned runs on five hits and a walk in 3.1 innings pitched. Whiteman struck out two batters.
- Monmouth pitcher Kevin Opanel (4-1) earned the win, allowing one earned run on one hit in 2.0 relief innings. Opanel struck out one batter.
How it Happened:
- With two runners on in the bottom of the first inning, Nick Lovarco hit a home run to left center to put Monmouth ahead early.
- Max D'Alessandro led off the next frame with a homer of his own, cutting the Tigers' deficit to two.
- Jake Howlett homered in the home half to make it a 4-1 Hawk advantage.
- The Tigers tied the game with three runs on three hits in the top of the third. Keldrin Rodriguez hit a two-run homer, followed by D'Alessandro's RBI double later in the inning.
- The Hawks reclaimed the lead in the bottom frame. With two runners in scoring position, a deep fly ball scored one. The runner from second scored on a throwing error.
- Brady Nathison hit a solo home run to center field in the fourth, getting the Tigers back within a run.
- In the top of the seventh with runners on the corners, Frank Adamski Jr. scored on a wild pitch to tie the game.
- The Hawks added four runs on three RBI hits in the eighth for a 10-6 lead.
- Nick LoBello came to the plate as the tying run with the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the ninth. LoBello legged out an RBI infield single to cut into the deficit. Yariel Rodriguez's walk scored the Tigers eighth run before Nathison popped out for the final out of the game.
On Deck:
The Tigers will face Maryland on Tuesday night at 6 p.m. in College Park.
-TowsonTigers.com-