Rain‑Soaked Championship Clash in Wilmington
A five‑hour and 58‑minute rain delay hung over the CAA Championship game in Wilmington before the first pitch finally arrived, setting the stage for a tense showdown between the No. 3 Monmouth University Hawks and the No. 6 UNCW Seahawks.
UNCW struck first, plating four runs in the opening inning and adding two more in the second to build a 6‑0 lead that would prove decisive.
Monmouth finally got on the board in the third, when Chris Walsh doubled home a run, but the Hawks could not string together further hits against a resilient pitching staff.
Austin Beard, who limited the Seahawks to just four singles over three innings, fanned a season‑high five batters, while reliever Colin Ruddy shut the door on UNCW in four of his five appearances this year, keeping the pressure on.
The Hawks’ offense was anchored by a clutch RBI double from Walsh, and later in the game Wyatt Hunt added his team‑leading 17th double, becoming the first Monmouth player in a decade to reach 70 career hits.
Brendan Kenneally took the loss on the mound, and Brendan Buecker’s 13th hit‑by‑pitch of the season underscored the team’s perseverance.
Monmouth finished the 2026 season with 30 victories, the most wins for the program since 2018, a milestone that reflects the steady progress under head coach Dean Ehehalt.