Quinnipiac University
Monmouth
Lou Iannotti's Three RBIs Propels QU Baseball Past Monmouth, 5-3
4/6/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
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West Long Branch, New Jersey – Lou Iannotti (North Haven, Connecticut) jumpstarted the Quinnipiac baseball offense Monday afternoon with a two-RBI single in the top of the first inning on his way to a 2 for 5 game with three RBIs in the Bobcats 5-3 win over the Monmouth Hawks.
With the victory, the Bobcats improve to 9-16 on the season and 6-3 in MAAC play while the Hawks drop to 7-14 with a 3-3 conference record. This marks the second time in as many seasons in the MAAC that Quinnipiac has started 6-3 in conference play. In 2014, the Bobcats continued on its 6-3 start to start off 10-3 in its first 13 games of conference play.
The Bobcats' offensive scored five runs on 12 hits as three different players, including Iannotti, recorded multiple hits and eight of the nine starters recorded at least one hit in the victory. Scott Donaghue (Marlboro, New Jersey) went 3 for 5 with a pair of doubles and two runs scored while Mike Palladino (Rockville Centre, New York) went 2 for 5 in the leadoff spot for the Bobcats. Joining Donaghue with a pair of runs was Matthew Batten (Shelton, Connecticut) who went 1 for 3 with a walk to come around to score twice.
Gary Binkiewicz (Scotch Plains, New Jersey) picked up his first win of the season as he pitched 1/3 of an inning in in relief of starting pitcher Justin Thomas (Enfield, Connecticut), who pitched the first 4 2/3 innings where he allowed one run allowed on five hits with one walk and two strikeouts.
Gregory Egan (Seldon, New York) picked up his second save of the season as he struck out one batter over the final two innings in the six-out save for the Bobcats.
Quinnipiac got off to a quick start as they scored at least one run in each of the first three innings. In the top of the first inning as Donaghue doubled to left field with one out in the inning. Following Donaghue's double, Batten poked a single to right field which moved Donaghue to third base. After a wild pitch advanced Batten to second base Iannotti pulled a single through the right side of the infield to bring home Donaghue and Batten to give the Bobcats a 2-0 lead.
The Bobcats used small ball to add a third run in the bottom of the second inning after a 1-2-3 bottom of the first inning. Matthew Oestreicher (North Haven, Connecticut) singled up the middle to lead off the inning and was advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Ben Gibson (Sagamore Beach, Massachusetts). Oestreicher then moved up to third base on a wild pitch by starting pitcher Anthony Ciavarella. With a runner on third base, Brian Ruditys (Boothwyn, Pennsylvania) lifted a fly ball to centerfield that was deep enough to score Oestreicher with the sacrifice fly.
Batten put the Bobcats up 4-0 in the top of the third inning with his second run of the game as Quinnipiac took advantage of several mistakes from the Hawks. Batten reach on an error in the first inning and moved up one base to second base on Vincent Guglietti's (East Haven, Connecticut) through the hole between the third baseman and shortstop. On a wild pitch by Ciavarella, Batten moved up to third base but Guglietti got caught in a pickle between first and second. With Guglietti in a pickle, Batten took off for home and dove head first into home to score as he beat the throw after Guglietti was tagged out.
Monmouth got runs back in the fourth and seventh innings to bring them within a run at 4-3 but could not overcome Quinnipiac. Shaine Hughes came home to score on an RBI ground out by Dan Shea in the bottom of the fourth inning to cut into Quinnipiac's lead at 4-1. In the seventh inning, Pete Papcun came home to score on a throwing error by Gibson at third base after a sacrifice bunt attempt from Robbie Alessandrine. Justin Trochiano came home to score in the next at-bat when Steve Wilgus grounded out to Batten at shortstop.
The Bobcats added an insurance run in the top of the ninth inning when Palladino led off the inning with a single and moved up to second base on a balk. Palladino then advanced to third base on a single through the left side of the infield by Donaghue to put runners on the corners. After a Batten walk loaded the bases, Guglietti grounded into a fielder's choice which forced Palladino out at home. Iannotti then singled up the middle to drive home Donaghue from third base.
Quinnipiac baseball returns to action with two mid-week, non-conference games with the Rhode Island Rams on Tuesday, Apr. 7 at the QU Baseball Field and a Wednesday showdown with intrastate rival the Central Connecticut State Blue Devils on Wednesday, Apr. 8 at the QU Baseball Field with both first pitches scheduled for 3 P.M.
