Box Score

The Fairleigh Dickinson baseball team lost a pitcher's duel Friday afternoon to Monmouth, 3-1, in its Northeast Conference opener at the MU Baseball Field in West Long Beach, NJ.  With the victory the Hawks improve to 8-6 (1-0 NEC) on the season, while the Knights fall to 3-7-1 (0-1 NEC) overall.

All the scoring took place in the first inning.  FDU took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on junior Eric Anderson (Allendale, N.J./Northern Highlands)'s two-out RBI double to right field.  Senior Mike Eliasen (Swedesboro, NJ/Gloucester Catholic), who scored on the play from first, singled with one out.

Monmouth answered with its only three runs in the bottom of the inning to go ahead 3-1 as two of the runs were unearned.  Josh Boyd reached on a fielding error by Anderson at first base, Jamie Rosenkranz singled to left field and Jake Gronsky walked to load the bases with no outs.

Danny Avella singled through the right side to tie the game at one.  Owen Stewart hit a sacrifice fly down the right field line to put the Hawks up for good, and Ed Martin then grounded out to first to cap the scoring.

The Knights had runners on first and second with one out in the fourth but failed to score.

Senior Matt Holsman (Coral Springs, FL/Stoneman Douglas) doubled to left-center field with one out in the seventh but was left stranded.

Anderson singled through the right side to lead off the ninth.  Freshman Ryan MacDonald (Bethpage, N.Y./Island Trees) came into the game as a pinch runner and advance to second on a wild pitch with one out.  However, FDU could not keep the rally going to allow Monmouth to take game one of the four-game series, 3-1.

The Knights only managed six hits on the day with Anderson going 2-for-3 with a double, walk and an RBI.

Junior Craig Warner (Coral Springs, Fla./Stoneman Douglas) (0-1) was the tough luck loser on the mound as he put together a quality start for FDU.  The righty went 7.0 innings, allowing only three runs, one earned, on eight hits, while striking out three and walking one.  Freshman Joe Borelli (Wallingford, Conn./Mark T. Sheehan ), who made his Knights' debut in the eighth inning, walked one in his one inning of work.

Rosenkranz went 3-for-3 with a run scored to pace the Hawks' eight-hit attack.  Avella added two hits and an RBI.

Pat Light picked up the win for Monmouth on the hill by going the distance as he allowed one earned run on six hits, while walking two and striking out 13.

The Knights and Hawks will return to action with a pair of seven-inning contests Saturday afternoon beginning at 1:00 p.m.