April 29, 2006

Box Score

Bridgeport, CT - Sophomore Brad Brach threw a three-hit shutout for Monmouth University in the nightcap to give the Hawks a 7-0 win and a split of the Northeast Conference doubleheader Saturday night.

Monmouth took a 2-0 lead in the second inning off Sacred Heart starter Chris Aldrich (Medway, MA) thanks to three Pioneer errors. Sullivan led off the frame by reaching on an error by third baseman Maiella. Meyers followed with a single to right to put two on. Marc Weres then hit a would-be double play grounder to short that was misplayed by Tencza, allowing Sullivan to score and put runners on first and second. A ground ball back to Aldrich by Rick Niederhaus advanced both runners and Myers scored the second Hawk run when Maiella committed his second error of the inning on a ball hit by Collazo.

The Hawks got two more in the third inning to make it 4-0. Nick Massari started the attack off with a one-out bunt single. He stole second when Hussa struck out for the second out and scored on single to right by Sullivan. Sullivan took second on throw and that allowed him to score on a double to right center by Meyers.

Monmouth broke it open with three runs in the fifth to make it 7-0. Massari led off with another bunt single, and Hussa followed with an infield hit to second. Sullivan then laid down a bunt that was field by Aldrich. He spun looking to make a play to third, changed his mind and turned to throw to first but the delay allowed Sullivan to reach safely to load the bases. Meyers drove home Massari with a sacrifice fly and Niederhaus drove home two more with a single.

Brach, now 6-1, had a no-hitter for six innings but gave up a single to Pete Kandybowicz (Massapequa, NY) to lead off the bottom of the seventh. He got the next batter to ground into a double play, but the next two SHU batters got hits before Brach struck out Hanson to end the game. Brach struck out eight without allowing a walk.