West Long Branch, NJ - Monmouth used a five-run fourth to defeat Manhattan by a 5-2 count in the series finale between the teams at the MU Baseball Field.
Despite the loss, the Jaspers won their third MAAC series of the year en route to moving to 17-27 and 10-5 in the MAAC while the Hawks fall to 18-25-1 and 6-9 in the circuit.
Freshman Nick Cimillo (Airmont, NY / Suffern) finished up 3-for-4 with a double and a run while extending his hitting streak to 15 games. On the weekend, the rookie standout hit a blistering .636 (7-for-11) with six RBI in pushing his average to a team-leading .365, including .491 during league play.
Manhattan opened the scoring with a pair of runs in the top of the third inning. Freshman Jonathan Barditch (Miami, FL / Belen Jesuit Prep) led off with a single, before coming around to score the first run on graduate student Shawn Blake's (Stratford, CT / Elon) RBI double. Cimillo followed with a two-strike double to plate Blake with the second run of the frame. Later in the frame, senior Alex Cerda (Miami, FL / Florida Christian School) delivered a two-out single, but on the play Cimillo was gunned out at the plate.
Monmouth would rally with five runs in the fourth inning while sending 10 batters to the plate.
The visitors would threaten in the eighth inning as Cimillo led off with an infield single, before moving to third on sophomore Matt Padre's (Flemington, NJ / Hunterdon Central) two-out double. Unfortunately, RHP Nick Houghton would strand the runners with an inning-ending strikeout.
Barditch would deliver a one-out single in the top of the ninth, but the Jaspers were unable to put together a rally.
Barditch joined Cimillo with three hits as Manhattan rapped out 11 on the day.
Kyle Norman had two hits to lead the way for the Hawks.
RHP Regan Dombroski earned the win, striking out seven over 5.0 innings of two-run balls while Houghton struck out six in 4.0 scoreless innings to pick up the save.
Junior RHP Nick Massa (Shrewsbury, NJ / Red Bank Regional) struck out four over 2.1 scoreless frames while sophomore Teddy Sabato (Rye Brook, NY / UNC) fanned two over 2.0 hitless innings.
Manhattan will next host Stony Brook on Wednesday, May 1 at 5:00 pm.