The Fairleigh Dickinson University baseball team split a doubleheader with visiting Monmouth University Thursday, April 9 in Teaneck, NJ.  The Knights (9-14 overall, 4-2 Northeast Conference) clubbed their way to victory in the opener, but fell victim to a final inning rally in game two.

Monmouth, the league's preseason favorite to win the NEC, moved to 15-14 overall and 4-2 in NEC action.

In the opener, six Knights put forth multi-hit performances, paced by sophomore first baseman Brian Dillon (Sarasota, FL/Cardinal Mooney)'s (Sarasota, FL) five hits and four RBI.  FDU's runs scored marked the most since a 28-4 victory in 1975 versus City College of New York.  A total of 20 hits produced a 16-run differential representing the largest margin of victory against Monmouth since a 22-3 decision in 1993.

Sophomore right-hander Chris Theordor (Staten Island, NY/Staten Island Tech) (Staten Island, NY) received the win, tossing 1.2 hitless innings out of the bullpen. 

FDU tossed a four-spot on the board in the bottom of the first inning.  Dillon jerked a 3-2 pitch through the right side to plate the team's first run, then classmate Erik Pollag (Sicklerville, NJ/Paul VI) (Sicklerville, NJ), the designated hitter, worked a walk with the sacks full.  Freshman catcher Scott Morrison (Coral Springs, FL/J.P. Taravella) (Coral Springs, FL) contributed a two-RBI double, knocking a pitch to the left field fence.

In the second frame, the Knights opened up a double-digit margin, 10-0, on the strength of six-straight hits.  Senior outfielder Matt Maher (Peekskill, NY/JFK Catholic) (Peekskill, NY) slid a base hit through the right side to drive in a run.  Red-shirt junior outfielder Zachary Sand (San Diego, CA/Mission Bay) (San Diego, CA) smoked a 1-2 pitch into the left-centerfield gap ? good for a two-run double.  Red-shirt junior outfielder Mark Morton (Coral Springs, FL/Grandview Prep) (Coral Springs, FL) ? who drove in a career-high six RBI by the game's end ? then poked a three-run homer to centerfield.

After scattering two hits through the initial four frames, senior right-hander Ben Green (Plainview, NY/JFK Plainview) (Plainview, NY) surrendered a dinger to senior catcher Bobby Dombrowski (Denville, NJ) with a man on.  Sophomore infielder Ryan Terry (Levittown, PA) smacked another two-run shot.  An RBI double by senior infielder Chris Collazo (Wall, NJ), backed by a sacrifice fly and an error allowed Monmouth to trail, 10-7.

A fielding miscue with no outs and the bases juiced opened the door for a bust out response by Fairleigh Dickinson in the bottom portion of the fifth.  The Knights ? who scored 14 runs before Monmouth recorded an out ? finished the frame with seven hits and seven walks/hit batsmen.  Dillon, freshman infielder Mike Eliasen (Swedesboro, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) (Swedesboro, NJ), and Maher notched RBI base hits.  Furey added two more runs with a rope to right field, then Morton turned on a pitch and collected a two-RBI double down the line.

In the sixth, Furey brought around a run with a double down the right field line and Dillon picked-up an RBI groundout, thus creating a 26-7 advantage. 

MU senior first baseman Paul Bottigliero (Milford, CT) launched a solo shot to centerfield to lead-off the eighth inning.  The Hawks cut it to 26-10, propelled by a two-run ninth inning.  Sophomore pinch hitter Tim McEndy (Malvern, PA) highlighted the frame with an RBI double.

Junior lefty Nick Vallillo (Old Tappan, NJ) started for the Hawks, but was chased from the contest, logging 1.0 inning of work.  Green allowed four earned runs through 4.1 innings and took a no decision.  Freshman righty Brian Sprague (Sarasota, FL/Cardinal Mooney) (Sarasota, FL) hurled a hitless inning of relief.

In game two, senior first baseman Rick Niederhaus (Whitehouse Station, NJ) singled back through the box to give the Hawks a 1-0 lead in the top of the first.  Morton tied things at one in the bottom of the second inning, lining a 1-1 offering down the line and over the left field fence.

Monmouth pushed ahead 3-1 in the third frame, fueled by an RBI two-bagger courtesy of Terry.  Niederhaus added a sacrifice fly.  Maher answered by depositing a triple into the right-centerfield gap to score two.  However, freshman infielder Matt Holsman (Coral Springs, FL/Stoneman Douglas) (Coral Springs, FL) ? who stumbled while rounding third base ? was pegged out trying to score and the score stood at 3-3.

In the fifth, Collazo registered a sacrifice fly to centerfield, as Maher crashed into the fence to catch a line drive and was stuck in the chain link.  The issue allowed Niederhaus to advance from first base to third.  He then scored on a two-bagger off the bat of senior infielder Mike Casale (Toms River, NJ).

The Knights battled back to a 5-5 standstill in the bottom part of the inning.  Maher beat out a soft infield single to plate a run.  Dillon avoided a twin killing by hustling down the line, allowing the tying game to cross the dish.

An FDU error gave the Hawks a 6-5 edge in the sixth, but Pollag quickly rebutted, driving a ball out of the yard to tie the ball game, 6-6.  The solo shot proved the first of his collegiate career.

A tough hop off sharply hit ball by Dombrowski equated into a 7-6 edge for Monmouth in the seventh inning.  Terry proceeded to add an insurance run via in RBI base knock.

Junior right-hander Michael Strachman (Roslyn Heights, NY/Roslyn) (Roslyn Heights, NY) took a no decision, yielding two earned runs through 4.0 innings.  Likewise, MU senior southpaw Nick Meyers (East Brunswick, NJ) suffered similar fate, hurling 5.0 innings.

Junior lefty Terry Lydecker (Pompton Lakes, NJ/Pompton Lakes) (Pompton Lakes, NJ) fanned three through 1.1 innings of work and did not allow an earned run.  Junior right-hander Spencer Kelly (Rockville, MD/The Bullis School) (Rockville, MD) finished the final frame, but was saddled with the loss.

Hawks' sophomore right-hander Steve Sanguiliano (Flemington, NJ) advanced to 1-1 on the year, toeing the rubber for the game's final 2.0 innings.