BURLINGTON, VT. -- Against the ace from the American Legion baseball team from Manchester, N.H., Monmouth continued to pound the ball.

It was a good thing for Monmouth, too, because Thursday afternoon's game turned into a slugfest.

Monmouth and Manchester each banged out 16 hits, and Monmouth committed six errors, but the New Hampshire team left 16 runners on base, and Monmouth held on for a 13-8 victory on the opening day of the New England Regional tournament.

Monmouth (28-1) will continue play in the double-elimination tournament at approximately 7 p.m., Friday against the winner of Thursday night's game between Warwick, R.I. and St. Johnsbury, Vt.

Manchester (20-9) will face the loser of the Warwick-St. Johnsbury game at 1 p.m., Friday.

Mike Eaton earned the win for Monmouth, improving to 9-0 on the season. Eaton allowed one earned run in 7 1/3 innings, allowing 12 hits but striking out nine.

Manchester ace Shane Beauchemin, who was also undefeated entering the game, was hit hard, lasting 4 2/3 innings and giving up 11 hits and eight earned runs.

Monmouth, the home team, batted eight times and scored in every inning but the second and seventh. Sean Holbrook went 3 for 5 and scored three runs, while Tavis Hasenfus launched a three-run homer in the fourth inning to increase Monmouth's lead at the time to 7-4.

Josh Jillson had three hits and drove in a pair of runs for the Mainers. Hasenfus had two hits, as did Eaton, Tom Edgecomb and Ethan Guerette.

Monmouth never trailed, but had some anxious moments late in the game. Monmouth led 10-4 after seven innings, but two singles and a Monmouth error loaded the bases with one out and knocked Eaton off the mound and over to first base.

Chris Ellis entered as the new Monmouth pitcher and walked in a run before being relieved by Forrest Dwyer. After Manchester scored a run on an RBI groundout, Dwyer walked Craig Charest to reload the bases, then got Kyle Merritt on a flyout to keep the score at 10-6.

Monmouth got three runs in the bottom of the eighth with the help of a two-run single by Eaton. The Mainers brought in Travis Harwood to pitch the ninth, and Harwood gave up hits to the first four batters he faced, making the score 13-8. After that, Harwood settled down and retired the next three batters without the ball leaving the infield to end the game.