April 4, 2005

Box Score

W. LONG BRANCH, NJ - Sophomore hurler Jay Monti twirled a four-hit shutout in the nightcap of a Northeast Conference doubleheader against Monmouth University on Monday afternoon to help the Pioneer baseball team to a sweep of the twinbill, 4-1 and 2-0.

Sacred Heart posted a single run in the first inning of the opener behind a leadoff single from Ryan Nemcek and a two-out double from Josh Enos to take an early 1-0 edge.

The Hawks responded with their lone run of the game when a leadoff walk to Jon Lewis turned into a run after a Brett Hardie double and a Nick Massari sacrifice fly.

The Pioneers posted two runs in the second inning after loading the bases against Monmouth starting pitcher Vince Grande. Dave Kaloyanides and Nemcek each registered RBI-groundouts in the inning for Sacred Heart for the 3-1 lead.

SHU left the bases loaded in the third frame after scoring an insurance run to take a 4-1 lead on Monti's sacrifice fly, as Matt Marc-Aurele pitched around a hit batsman to end the threat.

Monmouth threatened in the fourth inning behind hits from Fran Rotella and Cip Apicelli and a fielder's choice to Mike Hussa, but Sacred Heart starting pitcher Chris Aldrich induced strikeouts by the final two MU hitters to end the inning.

Aldrich (2-2) struck out eight Hawks in the win for the Pioneers, going six innings, allowing one run on eight hits. Rob Tenzca, who switched from third base, threw the final inning to pick up his second save of the season.

Grande (1-4) was saddled with the loss for the Hawks throwing two innings, allowing four runs on four hits. Marc-Aurele tossed the final five scoreless innings for Monmouth, scattering three hits, while striking out three.

Enos, the Pioneers' designated hitter, went 3-for-4 in the game.

In the second game, the Pioneers struck in the first inning again as a leadoff walk to Nemcek turned into a run. After the leadoff pass, Monmouth starter Frank Pilitowski allowed a two-outsingle to centerfield to Enos.

SHU tacked on an insurance run in the sixth inning as Enos led off with a single through the left side and scored hustling from second to third and taking home on a throwing error by Andy Meyers (Stratford, N.J./Sterling) at first base.

Monti (2-3) allowed just a single hit after the third inning, tossing perfect frames in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, en route to the win for the Pioneers, while Enos collected another multi-hit game, going 2-for-3.

Pilitowski (2-1) suffered his first loss of the year, going 5 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on four hits, while Kevin Schneider threw the final 1 2/3 for, allowing no runs and no hits.

The victories put the Pioneers in first place in the early going in the Northeast Conference with a 4-2 record. SHU returns to action on Tuesday with a non-conference game at Hofstra at 3:30 p.m.