May 3, 2015 Final Stats
Siena's road back to the MAAC Championships got a bit tougher Sunday. The Saints blew a 4-0 lead, and couldn't overcome three costly errors in a 7-5 loss to Monmouth. The Hawks took the weekend series 2-1, and are now right behind Siena in the MAAC standings.
Siena fell from second place to fourth this weekend with conference preseason favorite Canisius coming to town next weekend.
Dave Hoffmann's three-run home run in the first inning got Siena off to a running start, and when Fred Smart launched a solo shot in the second it was 4-0 and it appeared the Saints might be on their way to a fourth straight conference series win.
Bryan Goossens carried a two-hitter into the fifth, but he gave up a two-run single to Shaine Hughes with two outs, and after throwing 93 pitches and walking five men his day was done. Kyano Cummings came in and prevented further damage in the fifth, but the Hawks scored four unearned runs with two outs in the sixth to jump ahead 6-4. Hughes delivered another run scoring single during the rally on his way to a three-hit, three RBI day.
Dan Swain singled to lead off the seventh, stole second and scored on Justin Esquerra's RBI double to make it 6-5. The Saints had failed to score in the sixth after getting runners to second and third with one out, and they left Esquerra stranded at third in the seventh.
Dan Shea's RBI single with two outs in the ninth provide a key insurance run for Monmouth. Siena got a couple men on in the ninth, but reliever Justin Andrews got Brian Fay to fly out to left to end the threat.
Esquerra finished with three hits for the Saints. Swain and Hoffmann each had two.
Monmouth scored all seven of its runs with two outs Sunday and 11 of its 15 on the weekend.
Siena will travel to play a non-league game at Binghamton Tuesday at 3 p.m.
