TOWSON, Md. (Interstat) — Aidan Bretschneider’s third-inning grand slam broke open a close game and propelled the Monmouth Hawks to a 12-4 victory over the Towson Tigers in Colonial Athletic Association baseball action Sunday afternoon and evening at John B. Schuerholz Baseball Complex.

The Hawks secured a series sweep, having won the first two games of the weekend set 12-5 and 4-1. Both teams now hold identical 5-7 overall records.

Monmouth set the tone early, capitalizing on control issues from Towson starter Dutch DeProspero in the first inning. The Hawks scored four runs on three hits, two walks, and a Towson error. Chris Walsh drove in the first run with an infield single, Brendan Buecker added a two-run single, and Bretschneider plated another with a groundout.

The game’s decisive moment came in the third. After loading the bases with one out, Monmouth chased DeProspero. Reliever Jacob Whiteman entered and promptly served up a first-pitch grand slam to Bretschneider, a towering shot to left field that turned a 4-0 lead into an 8-0 rout. The left fielder, who had been hitless in his previous six at-bats over two games, finished with five RBIs.

Whiteman settled in brilliantly after the homer, providing the Tigers’ most crucial performance. Over four innings of long relief, he allowed just two hits and one earned run while striking out four, effectively stopping the Monmouth onslaught and giving Towson a chance to rally.

The Tigers answered with three runs in the bottom of the third against Monmouth reliever Brendan Kenneally. Brian Heckelman sparked the rally with an RBI double, and run-scoring groundouts from Max D’Alessandro and Frank Adamski Jr. cut the deficit to 8-3.

Monmouth’s pitching staff, however, would not allow another sustained threat. Kenneally, despite allowing two earned runs over four innings, gave up no hits. Stefan Swee and Caden Carlin followed with three combined hitless innings to close the door. Starter Tommy Kent earned the win with two scoreless innings to begin the game.

The Hawks added single runs in the seventh on a passed ball, in the eighth on an RJ Mustaro RBI double, and in the ninth on a sacrifice fly from pinch-hitter Nick Lovarco. Towson’s final run came in the eighth on an RBI double by Josh Janove.

Heckelman led the Towson offense, going 3 for 5 with an RBI and two doubles. Walsh was a constant presence for Monmouth, going 3 for 4 with an RBI, two stolen bases, and three runs scored.

The result defied the pregame projection from Interstat’s game simulator, which had forecast a 5-4 Towson victory, though the service’s ELO rating gave Monmouth a 60.6% probability to win.

Monmouth next visits Fairleigh Dickinson on Wednesday. Towson travels to face George Washington on Wednesday.