WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. - The Monmouth University softball team improved to 12-7 after sweeping a doubleheader from Seton Hall on Wednesday afternoon. The Hawks took the first 4-0 behind a complete game, three-hit shutout by sophomore Kristine Sawlsville (Wyomissing, Pa./Wilson), and won the nightcap 10-2 as Danielle Ellement (Thousand Oaks, Calif./Newbury Park) improved to 4-0 with a complete game win of her own.

MU used a balance offensive attack in the first game as seven different Hawks collected hits. The Blue and White got on the board with a three-run second inning as Jessica Nicola (South Amboy, N.J./Sayreville) led off the frame with a double to the left-centerfield gap. Fellow freshman Alexa Ferrara (Caldwell, N.J./James Caldwell) dropped a single into leftfield, which set the stage for Gina Mignogna (Mt. Laurel, N.J./Lenape), who blasted a two-RBI double to the fence in leftfield that plated Nicola and Ferrara.

Dawn Gilchrist (Newfoundland, N.J./Jefferson) would add her first home run of the season in the fifth inning, and that's all the offense Sawlsville would need as she struck out eight en route to her fifth win of the year.

In the nightcap, Heather Gordon (Hatboro, Pa./Mount St. Joseph's) went 3-3 with two RBI and two runs scored, Kara O'Dell (Henderson, Nev./Green Valley) would add two hits and two RBI, Nicola went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and Candice Palumbo (Hillsborough, N.J./Hillsborough) would add two hits and four RBI to pace the MU offense.

Ellement allowed only one earned run and six hits in the circle to earn the win. MU would score four runs in the third and three each in the fifth and sixth innings to pick up the victory.

Monmouth returns to action when they travel to Hamden, Connecticut to begin Northeast Conference play against Quinnipiac with a doubleheader on Saturday, March 31. First pitch is set for 1 pm.

Pictured: Junior Gina Mignogna