LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. - The Monmouth University softball team defeated Rider 7-2 and Lafayette 9-2 to sweep the second day of the Rider Invitational. The Hawks improve to 9-6 with the pair of wins.

MU was led by Heather Gordon (Hatboro, Pa./Mount St. Joseph's), who went a perfect 5-5 on the day, and drove in six runs in the two games. She was 3-3 against Rider, and 2-2 against Lafayette, driving in three runs in each game.

Angela Rand (Hamilton, N.J./Steinert) pitched the final four innings against Rider to earn the win and improve to 2-1 on the season. She surrendered only one hit in those innings after taking over for Danielle Ellement (Thousand Oaks, Calif./Newbury Park) who started the game.

Alexa Ferrara (Caldwell, N.J./James Caldwell) went 2-4 with two run's scored in the first game, and Jaime Jurewicz (Holland, Pa./Nazareth Academy) hit her first collegiate home run in the second inning. MU scored once in the first, twice in the second, and three times in the third to put the game away.

Against Lafayette, Kristine Sawlsville (Wyomissing, Pa./Wilson) pitched a complete-game to earn the win to improve to 4-2 on the year. Lee Simonetti (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Our Lady of Lourdes) had two hits, including a lead-off home run in the third inning. Nichole Alvarez (Brick, N.J./Brick Twp.) went a perfect 4-4 with a triple, two stolen bases and four runs scored.

The Hawks' return to action on Tuesday, March 27 when they host La Salle for a doubleheader at the MU Softball Park. First pitch of the day is set for 3 p.m., with the second game coming about 20 minutes after the conclusion of the first. 

Pictured: Sophomore Jaime Jurewicz