KISSIMMEE, Fla. ? The Monmouth University softball team split both of their games on their second day at the 2008 Rebel Games, falling 3-2 to Butler before defeating Indiana-Purdue University Fort Wayne 1-0. The Hawks now sit at 2-2 on the season after splitting their two contests yesterday in Florida.
Monmouth freshman Melissa Mehrer (Florence, N.J. /Florence Township) got her first collegiate win and no-hitter in the day's second contest in MU's 1-0 triumph over the Mastodons. Mehrer, who improved to 1-1 on the season, pitched all seven innings, allowing no hits while striking out six batters and walking five.
The Hawks supplied the game's only scoring in the top of the sixth inning, when Kara O'Dell (Henderson, Nev. /Green Valley) led off the frame with a single, and pinch runner Jessellyn Jackson Howell, N.J. /Colts Neck) was sacrificed to second base by Emily deLong (Rothschild, Wisc./DC Everest). A single to left from Alexa Ferrara (West Caldwell, N.J./James Caldwell) plated Jackson, supplying MU with a 1-0 lead that Mehrer made sure held up.
Lee Simonetti (Poughkeepsie, N.Y. /Our Lady of Lourdes) went 3-for-4 with a double from the leadoff spot for the Hawks in the first content. Jessica Nicola (South Amboy, N.J. /Sayreville War Memorial) went 2-for-4 with a stolen base, the second of her career, and Ferrara went 2-for-3, including the game-winning RBI. Senior Gina Mignogna (Mt. Laurel, N.J. /Lenape Regional) walked and recorded her second stolen base in as many days in the win.
The Hawks dropped their first contest of the day 3-2 to Butler at the Rebel Games. The Bulldogs scored twice in the first inning and once in the third off Monmouth starter Kristine Sawlsville (Wyomissing, Pa./Wilson). Sawlsville settled down after that and did not allow a run for the rest of the contest as she went the distance, pitching seven innings, allowing three earned runs and nine hits while striking out five and walking none.
MU scored both of their runs in a fourth inning rally as O'Dell singled and her pinch-runner, deLong, scored on a single by Lisa DiLeo (Commack, N.Y./Commack). After a Jaime Jurewicz (Holland, Pa. /Nazareth Academy) single, DiLeo came around to score on a run-scoring base hit delivered by Mignogna.
The Hawks threatened again by loading the bases with one out in the fifth, but failed to plate anyone. Nichole Alvarez (Brick, N.J./Brick Township) paced the Monmouth offense by going 3-for-4 and adding a stolen base. O'Dell went 2-for-3 at the dish with a walk, while Mignogna added a stolen base to go along with her RBI single.
Monmouth returns to action in Florida on Wednesday, March 12 when they take on IPFW again, this time at 9:00 a.m., and Yale at 11:00 a.m.
