Emmitsburg, Md. (April 6, 2007)--Sophomore pitcher Ivor Hodgson went 2-for-5 with a home run and two runs scored at the plate and pitched six strong innings to earn the win on the mound to lead the Mount (11-14, 1-2 NEC) to a 10-3 win in game two of a doubleheader to help the Mount to a split with Monmouth on Friday afternoon at E.T. Straw Family Stadium on campus. The Mount , 7-5, in eight innings despite rallying from a 5-0 deficit to force extra innings in the first game of the twinbill.

After Monmouth (14-9-1, 2-1 NEC) scored an unearned run in the top of the first in the second game, the Mount scored five times in the bottom of the inning to take control. Drew Counselman homered on the first pitch in the bottom of the first to tie the score. Hodgson then singled and stole second base before Josh Vittek walked. Eric Smith followed with an RBI double and Joe Hayes a two-run single for a 4-1 lead. Matt Eiden's RBI single to right made the score 5-1.

In the bottom of the second, Hodgson homered on the first pitch of the inning, a drive to the opposite field for his second long ball of the season. After an Eric Smith single, Ryan Murray blasted his league-leading seventh homer of the season to give the Mount an 8-1 lead.

The Mount added to its lead on an Matt Trusch RBI single in the fourth and a Murray run-scoring single in the fifth for a 10-1 lead. Monmouth's John Elia homered in the sixth and Andy Meyers added an RBI double in the inning to round out the scoring.

Smith was 3-for-4 with two runs scored while Murray was 2-for-3 with two runs scored, a home run and three RBI in the second game. Eight of the Mount's nine players in the lineup recorded at least one hit in the game as the Mount rapped out 15 hits in the contest.

Hodgson allowed three runs (two earned) while striking out three in six innings on the mound while also going 2-for-5 with two runs scored, a stolen base and a home run at the plate.

In the opening game, the Mount rallied from a 5-0 deficit to force extra innings on Ryan Murray's on out solo home run to right field in the bottom of the seventh. The Hawks answered with a pair of runs in the eighth to earn the 7-5 victory.

Brett Holland opened the scoring with a sacrifice fly in the second while Meyers added an RBI double in the third to give Monmouth a 2-0 lead. The Hawks added to the margin with a three-run fifth to take a 5-0 advantage. Meyers singled up the middle to score Kyle Messineo to start the scoring in the third. Chris Collazo then singled to right to plate two runs.

The Mount started its rally in the bottom of the fifth on Smith's two-run homer to left-center field. The Mount scored two more times in the sixth to cut the deficit to 5-4. Mike Gioioso's RBI single made the score 5-3 and Hodgson added an RBI base hit to cut the deficit to 5-4. The Mount had the bases loaded with one out in the inning, but Monmouth got out of the jam by getting Vittek to ground into a double play.

Murray's solo shot in the seventh put the game into extra innings. Monmouth loaded the bases in the eighth on two hit batsmen and a single. Shawn Teters gave the Hawks the lead with an RBI single to left field and Rick Neiderhaus' RBI ground out added an insurance run for a 7-5 advantage. Matt Frazier allowed a two-out double to Counselman in the eighth, but got Hodgson to foul out to third base to end the game and earn the save.

Meyers was 2-for-3 with two RBI while Collazo and Teters each added two hits in the game. Hodgson and Counselman each went 3-for-5 at the plate to pace the Mount offense in the game.

Monmouth starter Ryan Buch allowed two runs while striking out five in a no decision. Justin Esposito pitched 1.2 innings, allowing one run, to earn the win. Bucky Kosyk allowed five runs (four earned) in five innings for the Mount.

The teams complete the four-game series with a nine-inning game at noon tomorrow at E.T. Straw Family Stadium. The Mount will dedicate the stadium in a pre-game ceremony beginning at 11:45.

Notes...The Mount's win in game two snapped a five-game losing streak to Monmouth...Hodgson was 5-for-10 with three runs scored in the twinbill...The Mount had 27 hits in the doubleheader...Murray was 4-for-7 with two home runs, three runs scored and four RBI on the day...Murray leads the NEC with seven home runs...Smith had three RBI on the day and shares the Northeast Conference RBI lead with Meyers with 27 this year...Andrew Germuth is schedule to start for the Mount tomorrow while Monmouth's starter is to be determined.