Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Monmouth got good pitching and good hitting in their twinbill season opener in Ft. Pierce, Fla., but came up just short in a 5-1, 4-3 loss to Delaware Valley.
 
Starting pitcher Austin Hardy was victimized by five Scots' errors in Game 1. Hardy worked into the seventh inning, scattering six hits and allowing no earned runs. Monmouth's ace retired the first two batters of the season before an error opened the door for a three-run inning by the Aggies.
 
The Scots surrendered another unearned run in the second before settling in. Hardy the retired eight of the next nine batters to keep the game close.
 
Trailing 4-0 in the bottom of the sixth, Hardy singled to right, his first hit of the game, and advanced to second on a DVU wild pitch. Grant Myers then put the Scots on the board with a run-scoring triple for Monmouth's lone run of the game.
 
Myers was at it again in the nightcap, scoring the first run of the game to give Monmouth an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second. Myers led off the inning with a double, then promptly stole third and scored when Dayton Ince's shot to right was mishandled.
 
The Aggies answered with unearned runs in the fourth and added two more scores in the fifth after Brandon Harroun's base hit in the fifth plated Ince who had drawn a walk, moved to second on a Harry Sanchez sacrifice bunt and advanced to third on a wild pitch.
 
Trailing 4-2 in the top of the sixth, freshman Matt Inness gave Monmouth life drawing a lead off walk and then stole second. He later scored on Austin Hardy's sac fly to right to trim the game to 4-3 DVU, but that would be the end of the scoring for the Scots as Tyler McDonald was saddled with the loss, giving up just one earned run.
 
Newcomer Jake Starkey led the Scots' offense with a 3-for-7 afternoon.