NEW YORK, N.Y.  ? The Monmouth University softball team dropped a pair of contests, 4-3 and 4-1, to St. John's from the Big East on Wednesday in Queens. The Hawks fall to 3-12-1 on the season, while the Red Storm improve to 13-15.

Kristine Sawlsville (Wyomissing, Pa./Wilson) got the start and pitched a complete game in the first contest, going all six innings. She falls to 1-6 on the season with the loss. The Hawks got all three of their runs in the second inning, started by Alexa Ferrara (West Caldwell, N.J./James Caldwell) with a lead off walk. Jaime Jurewicz (Holland, Pa./Nazareth Academy) followed with a single, and Candice Palumbo (Hillsborough, N.J./Hillsborough) came through with an infield single.

With the bases loaded, MU got all three of their runs on walks as Emily deLong (Rothschild, Wisc./DC Everest), Lee Simonetti (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Our Lady of Lourdes) and Jessica Nicola (South Amboy, N.J./Sayreville War Memorial) all drove in runs via the free pass for Monmouth's three runs.

St. John's scored one in the first, one in the second and the go ahead run in the fifth for the win.

Melissa Mehrer (Florence, N.J./Florence Township) pitched a complete game in the nightcap for MU. Mehrer, who allowed 13 hits and three earned runs, falls to 2-5 on the season.

The Hawks got their tally when Lisa DiLeo (Commack, N.Y./Commack) led off the fifth by getting hit by a pitch, and pinch runner Dara Palms (Humble, Tex./Humble) came around to score on a Nora Bosmans (Oakhurst, N.J./Ocean Township) single up the middle.

The Hawks return to action on Saturday, March 29 when they travel to take on Fairleigh Dickinson to open Northeast Conference play. First pitch for the doubleheader is set for 1:00 p.m.