This is part of Hall Pass’ all-access series on the Seton Hall-Monmouth baseball game.
The Monmouth Hawks are heading into South Orange on April 18 on a bit of a hot streak.
While the team is coming off a close loss to Rutgers where the Hawks fell 7-6 Tuesday evening, it put up consecutive wins against Maine and Sacred Heart in a doubleheader on April 14.
With the bats getting hot for Monmouth, here is what to look for when the Hawks take the field.
Monmouth (12-20) has struggled on the road this season. With a 4-13 road record, the Hawks have not seen an away victory since their matchup with Princeton on April 5. In comparison, Seton Hall, 14-13-1, has performed respectably at home. With a 5-2 record at Owen T. Carroll Field and a recent home series victory over Xavier, the Pirates come into the Wednesday bout with some momentum as well.
The Hawks have had some standout performers in 2018 that will be ones to watch for the Pirates. A transfer from the University of Buffalo, junior outfielder Kyle Norman is leading his team offensively. Norman is either first or tied-for-first in batting average (.303), runs scored (26) and hits (36).
Monmouth will not only rely on his bat, but also his presence in the outfield. Norman leads the Hawks in fielding percentage (1.000), so he is a threat from all angles.
When it comes to immediate impact recruits, pitcher Dan Klepchick is giving the Hawks his all. The freshman from Warrington, Penn. is leading the Hawks in ERA (4.21), win-loss percentage (.667), innings pitched (47) and batters struck out (37).
Standing at just under six-feet and being a right-handed pitcher, Klepchick uses his 200-pound frame to lead the Hawks all over the place — boasting the lowest number of runs, earned runs, walks and doubles allowed. He may not be the starting pitcher in South Orange on Wednesday, but the former MAAC Rookie of the Week is a testament to the strength Monmouth can bring on the mound.
Monmouth will head to South Orange with an opportunity to show its chops on the road, and Seton Hall will attempt to boost its strong home record as the Hawks face the Hall at 4 p.m. on Wednesday.
Anthony Talarico can be reached at anthony.talarico@student.shu.edu or on Twitter @ant_tal.