WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. ? The Monmouth University softball team was swept by non-conference opponent Columbia, 8-4 and 8-6 on Sunday afternoon at the MU Softball Park. The pair of defeats drops the Hawks' record to 28-16, while the Lions improve to 22-24.
In game one, senior Angela Rand (Hamilton, N.J./Steinert) started in the circle and allowed four hits, three runs, two of which were earned and one walk in her four innings of work. She gave way to Kristine Sawlsville (Wyomissing, Pa./Wilson) who pitched the final three innings, and she surrendered five hits and five runs, but only one run was earned, while striking out four and walking none.
MU fell behind 3-0 but struck for two runs in the fourth and fifth innings to take a 4-3 lead. Lee Simonetti (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Our Lady of Lourdes) led off the fourth with a single and Nichole Alvarez (Brick, N.J./Brick Township) followed suit with a base hit through the left side. After Jessica Nicola (South Amboy, N.J,/Sayreville) and Heather Gordon (Hatboro, Pa./Mount St. Joseph's) reached on an error and fielder's choice, respectively and Kara O'Dell (Henderson, Nev./Green Valley) drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.
In the fifth, Simonetti singled with two outs and Alvarez then doubled. Nicola drilled a double down the left line to plate Alvarez, but it was the last run the Blue and White would push across.
Simonetti went 3-for-4 with a pair of runs scored and Alvarez went 2-for-4 with a run.
In the second game, Columbia struck for four runs in the first and three the second, but MU countered with three of their own in the bottom of the second. Dawn Gilchrist (Newfoundland, N.J./Jefferson) singled home Alvarez in the home half of the first for MU.
In the bottom of the second, Alexa Ferrara (West Caldwell, N.J./James Caldwell) led off with a single and Gina Mignogna (Mt. Laurel, N.J./Lenape) followed with a base hit. Alvarez then came up and blasted a three-run home run, her first of the season, over the left field fence to cut the Columbia lead to 7-4.
MU struck for two more in the fifth as Gordon scored on a Ferrara fielder's choice and Gilchrist crossed home on a wild pitch to conclude the Hawks' scoring.
Alvarez was 3-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored in the game. Gordon pitched the final 4.1 of the game in relief and allowed only one run.
Before the game, Monmouth's four seniors, Danielle Ellement (Thousand Oaks, Calif./Newbury Park), Gilchrist, Gordon and Rand were honored with Senior Day presentations.
The Hawks return to action on Sunday, May 6 when they conclude their regular season by hosting Sacred Heart on the Northeast Conference's make-up weekend in a home doubleheader at 3 p.m. MU and the Pioneers were originally slated to meet on Sunday, April 15 but that doubleheader was cancelled due to rain.
