FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. ? The Monmouth University softball team swept Northeast Conference opponent Sacred Heart, 2-0 and 10-4 on Sunday afternoon at the MU Softball Park to conclude their 2007 regular season. Monmouth ends the season with a 30-16 record, including a 13-5 mark in league play, while Sacred Heart ends the season 12-28 and 5-11 in the NEC.
Monmouth advanced to the NEC Tournament Saturday evening after Central Connecticut State lost to Wagner, and the Hawks solidified the third seed in the tournament after defeating Sacred Heart in game one today. Monmouth advances to the league tournament for the first time since 2004, and the Hawks' 30 wins are their most in a season since 2000.
In the first game this afternoon, sophomore Kristine Sawlsville (Wyomissing, Pa./Wilson) threw a complete-game, two-hit gem to improve to 16-6 on the season. She fanned 12 Pioneers, while only walking one batter as MU clinched the third seed in the NEC Tournament with the win.
The winning run was supplied by junior Gina Mignogna (Mt. Laurel, N.J./Lenape), who lifted a two-out, full count fastball over the left field fence to give MU a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning. The home run was Mignogna's first of her career in the Blue and White. The insurance run came as Candice Palumbo (Hillsborough, N.J./Hillsborough) drove a two out pitch on a 2-2 count for a run-scoring single up the middle to score Jessica Nicola (Sayreville, N.J./South Amboy), who went 2-for-3 in the game, and put the Blue and White up 2-0.
In the second game, senior Angela Rand (Hamilton, N.J./Steinert) collected the win to improve to 5-3 after pitching six strong innings, as she allowed five hits and three earned runs.
Sacred Heart held a 4-1 lead going into the bottom of the fifth, but that's where Monmouth exploded for eight runs and seized control of the game. Mignogna drilled a RBI double to left, missing a home run by a foot to begin the rally. Lee Simonetti (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Our Lady of Lourdes) then laced a two-RBI double to tie the game at 4-4 two pitches after being knocked down after fouling a ball off the instep of her left leg. Dawn Gilchrist (Newfoundland, N.J./Jefferson) supplied the big hit with a three-run, bases-clearing triple with the sacks full of Hawks to put MU up 7-4. Kara O'Dell (Henderson, Nev./Green Valley) then smacked a two-run home run to put the Hawks up 9-4.
Simonetti was 3-for-4 with two runs batted in, two runs scored and two doubles. Nicola, Heather Gordon (Hatboro, Pa./Mount St. Joseph's), Gilchrist and Lisa DiLeo (Commack, N.Y./Commack) all collected two hits for MU.
The Hawks return to action this Friday, May 11 when they begin play in the 2007 Northeast Conference Tournament, to be held at Fairleigh Dickinson. The championship will consist of a four-team, double-elimination tournament comprised of six or seven games over two days. MU, which is the third-seed, takes on second-seeded Wagner at 12:30 p.m.
Pictured: Junior Gina Mignogna
