Emmitsburg, Md. (April 5, 2013)--Mount St. Mary's lost to Monmouth, 13-7, in the opening game of a four-game Northeast Conference series at E.T. Straw Family Stadium on campus on Friday afternoon.  Zach Smith went 3-for-4 for the Mount in the loss.

Mount St. Mary's starting pitcher Thomas Williams was able to limit the Monmouth to two runs over the first three innings despite facing bases loaded jams in each frame.  In the first, Williams limited the Hawks to one run after getting a pair of strikeouts with the bases full to end the threat.

In the second, Monmouth had the bases loaded with one out, but Williams got out of the inning with a popout and a strikeout.  In the third, Monmouth loaded the bases with no outs, but was held to one run on a sacrifice fly.

The Mountaineers (6-17, 2-7 NEC) tied the game with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third inning.  With two outs, Smith reached on a bunt single.  Jay Knight followed with a triple to center field to plate Smith, cutting the Monmouth advantage to one run.  Knight then scampered home on a wild pitch to tie the game.

The Hawks (13-11, 6-3 NEC) responded in a big way as Jake Gronsky and Chris Perret belted back-to-back home runs to start the fourth inning, giving Monmouth a 4-2 advantage.  The Hawks then added a run off Mount reliever Buddy Fields to push the lead to 5-2.

Jon Guida hit a two-run single to center field in the sixth before the Hawks took control of the game with a six-run seventh inning.

The Mountaineers scored five times in the bottom of the ninth to make the final score 13-7.  Zane Bard led off the ninth with a base hit up the middle while Brandon Scott walked to put runners on first and second.  After a fly out, Mark Quaranta singled to right field to load the bases. 

Jack Schwartz then popped to second base and was ruled out due to the infield fly rule.  The ball fell in play, and all three runners advanced with Bard scoring.  Danny Zdanewicz walked to load the bases for Mo Moriarty, who drilled a triple to center field to make the score 13-6.  Smith then doubled down the right field line to drive home Moriarty with the final run.

Smith went 3-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI for the Mount in the win.  Bard finished 2-for-3 and Knight 2-for-5 in the loss.

Owen Stewart went 6-for-6 with two doubles and four runs scored for Monmouth while Gronsky, Perrett and Joe Bamford all had three hits in the win.

Williams took the loss for the Mountaineers, allowing four runs and nine hits while striking out five in three-plus innings.  Monmouth starter Andrew McGee struck out 12 while allowing two runs and five hits in eight innings for the win.

The teams continue the series with a doubleheader tomorrow beginning at 1:00 p.m. at Straw Family Stadium.