Brach, Hawks no easy win at NCAA tourney
BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer

The names on the stadium fence - Reggie Jackson, Sal Bando, Barry Bonds - let Brad Brach and the Monmouth University baseball team know that they had graduated to the big time.

After capturing the Northeast Conference Tournament championship, and with it, the automatic berth to the NCAA Regionals, the Hawks waited to see where they would be assigned. They drew the Tempe Arizona Regional, where their first-round opponent was the host, Arizona State University (ASU), the program that had won multiple NCAA titles and produced the likes of Jackson, Bando and Bonds.

"To play a storied program was just amazing," said Brach, the ace of the Hawks' pitching staff. "At practice the day before the game, I saw the names of Jackson and Bonds on the fence; it reminded me that we were playing on the same field that they did."

Besides the name ASU and its talent, the Hawks had to deal with Packard Stadium, which seats 6,000 people.

"We're used to seeing 250 at a game," said Brach. "It was exciting."

Brach and the Hawks, though, were not intimidated by the surroundings. They would give the nation's No. 5-ranked team all they wanted in a first-round, 5-3 loss. After scoring two runs in the top of the ninth, they had the tying runs on second and third when the game ended. Although Brach would lose just his third decision of the season against a team-record nine wins, he offered the Sun Devils no quarter.

"Everyone counted us out of the game," he said. "Before the game, we talked about them just like any other opponent."

Brach, who was named the NEC Pitcher of the Year, did his job keeping his team in the game, surrendering four runs in 7.1 innings. During the season, the Sun Devils had averaged 10 runs a game.

"I only had my fastball that day," noted the former Freehold Township High School star. "I wish I had more than one pitch working."

Hawk manager Dean Ehehalt said that his junior right-hander did everything he wanted him to do.

"Brad was outstanding," he said. "He pitched his heart out. There were a couple of pitches that got up. You have to tip your hat to their hitters.

"Every pitch, you are sitting on eggshells," he added. "Brad pitched one heck of a game. What more could you ask?"

Brach earned the respect of the ASU hitters.

"I tip my hat to him, he did a great job," said Sun Devil outfielder Ike Davis.

Monmouth was making its third NCAA appearance under Ehehalt. Following the loss to ASU, the Hawks needed to beat Nebraska to stay alive. They again had the tying run in scoring position in the ninth, but fell short, 6-5.

Ehehalt was pleased by the way his team went toe to toe with two of the country's best programs.

"Our team went to Tempe really ready to compete and just played extremely hard," he said. "Our goal was to win a game, and although that did not happen, we certainly played two storied programs pitch for pitch.

"The environment was electric, and our players played up to the challenge and fell a few runs short," he added. "If you are a player, these are the games you dream of playing."

Brach agreed with his coach about the significance of participating in the NCAA and that it will be the team's motivation for 2008.

"I've never experienced anything like it," he said of the tournament. "It was awesome. We're a young team with most of us coming back next year. We started to talk about coming back next year. We will be really driven to win the NEC and get back here."

Monmouth closed the season at 36-24-1, establishing a new single-season record for wins.

There would have been no NCAA experience without the Hawks' win in the NEC Tournament, held in New Britain, Conn. Brach played a key role there, pitching a complete-game seven-hit shutout in the Hawks' 9-0 win over Mount St. Mary's. That was his ninth win of the season and 21st of his career, making him the winningest pitcher in school history.

Even with Brach's shutout, the tournament still came down to a winner-take-all game with Central Connecticut State, and it was senior lefty Matt Coulson who got the starting assignment. The Freehold Borough graduate, pitching in what could have been the final start and game of his Monmouth career, made it a memorable one. He allowed just one run in 7.2 innings of work, leading the Hawks to a 7-1 win and the championship. Justin Esposito (Middletown North) picked up his team-high 10th save of the season in relief.

"I roomed with Matt all season," said Brach. "He pitched the game of his life."

Coulson was named the tourney MVP and was joined on the All-Tournament Team by Brach.

The NCAA was a fitting way to conclude Brach's finest season. Already a two-time All-NEC pitcher, Brach was more dominant than ever. Overall, he was 9-3 with a 2.89 earned-run average. He worked 99.2 innings with 84 strikeouts (a new single-season record). He tossed six complete games and four shutouts, including a no-hitter. In NEC games, he was 6-1 with a 2.50 ERA He was named the Pitcher of the Week twice.

Along with being the NEC Pitcher of the Year, the ex-Patriot star was cited by the New Jersey Collegiate Baseball Association as its Pitcher of the Year. He was named to the NJCBA First Team.

Coulson went 4-3 for the Hawks with a 5.52 ERA.

Another highlight of the season for Brach was sharing it with his younger brother, freshman Brett Brach.

"We've had fun the whole season," he pointed out.

Brett Brach saw action as a starter, reliever and closer. He won three games and recorded two saves in his rookie campaign. He was named to the NJCBA All-Rookie Second Team.

One advantage of having such an outstanding season for Brad Brach is that it opened the door to playing in the Cape Cod League this summer. It is the biggest college summer league in the country. The list of Cade Cod graduates who have gone on to the major leagues is as big as a telephone directory.

"It's a great opportunity," he said.