West Long Branch, N.J. (April 20, 2012)—Mount St. Mary's was edged in both games of a Northeast Conference doubleheader at Monmouth on Friday afternoon.  The Mount fell in the opener, 4-3, before falling in the nightcap, 2-0. 

Mount pitchers Karl Lamont and Scott Nickerson each threw complete games with Nickerson tossing a one-hitter in the 2-0 loss.

In the opening game, the Hawks grabbed the early lead on a two-run homer by Danny Avella in the bottom of the first inning.

The Mount countered with a run in the top of the third when Brandon Scott doubled with one out and then scored on Nick Walker's two-out double down the right field line. 

After Monmouth (24-15, 13-5 NEC) scored a run in the bottom of the third, Josh Winter blasted a solo shot to lead off the fourth to cut the deficit to 3-2.  It was Winter's team-leading fifth home run of the season.

Monmouth's Jamie Rosenkranz answered the Winter home run with an RBI single in the bottom of the fourth to make the score 4-2.

The Mount (12-30, 5-17 NEC) made it a one-run game in the top of the eighth.  With one out, Walker walked and moved to third on a Mark Quaranta single.  Winter then lofted a sacrifice fly to right to plate Walker to make the score 4-3.

Winter went 2-for-3 with two RBI to pace the Mount offense in the opening game loss while Quaranta was 2-for-4 at the plate. 

Lamont (1-6) took the loss, allowing four runs (two earned) in eighth innings.  He struck out four in his second complete game of the season.

Monmouth starter Pat Light struck out nine while allowing eight hits in the complete-game victory.

In the nightcap, Monmouth took a 1-0 lead when Avella walked with the bases loaded in the bottom of the third.  The Hawks added a run in the bottom of the sixth on a sacrifice fly.

Walker and Winter each had a hit in the game two as Monmouth starter Andrew McGee pitched a two-hit shutout.

The teams complete the four-game series with a doubleheader.  The first game starts at 1:00 p.m. at the Monmouth Baseball Field.