WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. (Interstat) — Monmouth pounded out 10 hits and got two home runs from Chris Walsh to rout Rider 12-2 on Sunday afternoon at Monmouth Baseball Field, evening the weekend series after dropping the opener.

The Hawks struck first in the bottom of the first inning. After Chris Walsh was hit by a pitch and Wyatt Hunt singled, Walsh stole third and Hunt stole second. Simmi Whitehill grounded out to first base, driving in Walsh, and Brendan Buecker singled to center to score Hunt, giving Monmouth a 2-2 tie.

The game remained deadlocked until the bottom of the third, when Walsh crushed a solo home run to left field. Hunt then doubled, Nick Lovarco walked and Whitehill sacrificed them over. Buecker followed with a sacrifice bunt that scored Hunt, and Jimmy Bruno doubled to left center to plate Lovarco, stretching the lead to 5-2.

Monmouth broke the game open in the fourth. With two outs, Will Fahey singled and stole second, Colin Richter walked, and both advanced on a wild pitch. Wyatt Hunt tripled to left center, scoring Richter and Fahey, and Lovarco’s sacrifice fly brought home Hunt, making it 8-2. The Hawks added a run in the sixth on a fielding error, then Walsh delivered again in the seventh with a two-run homer to left field, his second of the day, to push the lead to 11-2. Monmouth tacked on another run in the eighth on a fielder’s choice.

Walsh finished 2 for 3 with two homers and three RBIs. Hunt went 3 for 4 with a double, triple and two RBIs. Buecker added a hit and two RBIs. Whitehill had a hit and an RBI.

Alec Couture earned the win, pitching five innings, allowing five hits and one earned run while striking out six. Brendan Kenneally tossed two scoreless innings with two strikeouts, and David Horvath closed with a perfect ninth.

Rider’s offense managed six hits and scored its only runs in the fifth inning. Gallagher walked, advanced on a single by Neri, and scored on a single by Magoulic. The Broncs added an unearned run in the sixth on a throwing error.

Rider starter Batt K took the loss, allowing five runs over 2 1/3 innings. Three relievers combined to give up seven runs, though only four were earned.

The game was the second of a three-game series. Monmouth improved to 24-17 overall, while Rider fell to 22-14. The Hawks next host Northeastern on Friday, while Rider visits Niagara.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Rider 7, Monmouth 6, and its ELO system gave Rider a 53.30 percent probability to win.