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Box Score 2 JERSEY CITY, N.J. – Saint Peter's scored four runs in the eighth after a runner reached first base on a strikeout and wild pitch on what would have been the third out while Kevin Soriano (New Milford, N.J./New Milford) came in to record the final three outs with two runners in scoring position to secure an 8-7 win for Saint Peter's against Monmouth in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) baseball action on Sunday. The Hawks won the opening game, 4-1.
Trailing 7-4 with two outs in the eighth Nick Cardamone (Freehold, N.J./Freehold Township) struck out swinging, but the ball squirted back to the backstop and Cardamone was able to reach first base to extend the inning. Angel Perez (Jersey City, N.J./Marist HS) then found the left center gap to score Cardamone from first before Jon Kristoffersen (Jefferson, N.J./Jefferson Township) was able to find the exact same gap to plate Perez with the squad's second-straight triple. After Rob Moore (Ridge, N.Y./Longwood) walked, Mike Ionta (Westfield, N.J./Westfield) lined a double down the left field line to score Kristoffersen and Moore from first to give the Peacocks (5-22, 1-8 MAAC) an 8-7 lead.
Needing three outs to secure its first league win of the year, the Hawks did not go down easily in the ninth. Christian Holland walked and Clay Koniencki hit a double to left center to put runners on second and third with no outs. Soriano was summoned from the bullpen and induces a popup to Tommy Toole (Manasquan, N.J./Manasquan) in the swirling Jaroschak Field wind at first base and then recorded the second out on a foul out to third baseman Gary Puente (Linden, N.J./Linden). After hitting Grant Lamberton with a pitch, Soriano got a ground ball to Toole at first and Soriano beat the runner to the bag for the third out to secure the 8-7 win.
Ionta posted two hits and four RBIs in the win while Kristoffersen registered four hits, two runs scored and an RBI in the winning effort. The save for Soriano was the first of his collegiate career.
After Monmouth took the first two games of the series including a 4-1 win in the opener on Sunday, the Hawks jumped out to a 4-1 lead and a 7-3 lead only to see the advantage slip away and give Saint Peter's a win in the final game of the series.
Shaine Hughes got the scoring started for Monmouth with an RBI single up the middle in the first inning.
The Peacocks answered with a run in the bottom of the inning. Moore reached on a fielder's choice, stole second and came around to score on an Ionta RBI single down the left field line to tie the game at 1 after one inning.
A three-run second gave the Hawks a 4-1 edge after an RBI double by Koniencki, an RBI single by Justin Trochiano and a run-scoring single by Hughes.
Saint Peter's cut into the lead with two runs in the third. Cardamone and Perez walked to open the inning before Kristoffersen singled through the right side to load the bases. With one out, Ionta hit a sacrifice fly to center to bring home Cardamone and then Perez touched home after a double steal with Kristoffersen and a throwing error on the play to trim the margin to 4-3.
Dan Shea smacked his second homer of the afternoon to right center in the fifth to extend the Monmouth lead to 5-3 before a two-run single to left center in the sixth by Hughes made it a four-run game.
In the seventh, the Peacocks started its comeback with a run to cut the margin to 7-4. Krostoffersen reached on an infield single and Moore single to left center before Ionta walked to load the bases with one out. James Spadaccini (Butler, N.J./Butler) then hit a sacrifice fly to left to plate Kristoffersen.
A wild pitch on a swinging third strike opened the door for four runs in the eighth capped by a two-run double by Ionta and Soriano recorded the last three outs of the game to end a 14-game losing streak.
Jake Regina (Rutherford, N.J./Rutherford) got the win for the Jersey City team after giving up two hits in 1.2 innings of work.
Moore paced Saint Peter's in the opener with two hits and a run scored while Toole registered the RBI in the contest.
Hughes powered the Hawks in the doubleheader with five hits, four RBIs and two runs scored while Shea posted three hits, two runs scored, five RBIs and two homers on the afternoon. Ricky Dennis allowed one run on two hits with seven strikeouts in the seven-inning victory of game one.
The opener was very similar to the first game in the series with a pitcher's duel through five innings before Monmouth took the lead to earn the 4-1 victory.
After the Peacocks tied the game in the second, Shea gave the Hawks the lead it would not relinquish on a three-run bomb to center field to give the West Long Branch program the 4-1 lead.
Shea got the scoring started with an RBI double to center in the first for a 1-0 advantage.
Saint Peter's answered with a run in the second to tie the game at 1. Moore doubled to right field on a ball that the right fielder could not find, moved to third on Spadaccini's sacrifice bunt and then beat the throw home on a grounder off the bat from Toole, who reached on an RBI fielder's choice. Toole then stole second, but was left stranded on base.
Moore also reached on a bunt base hit to third and stole second in the fourth, but that was the last time the squad had a runner in scoring position in the opener.
Willie Krajnik (Lyndhurst, N.J./Saint Mary) took the loss in the opener despite having seven strikeouts in six innings of work.
The Peacocks begin a five-game non-conference road trip at Wagner on Tuesday. First pitch is 3 p.m.
