WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. ? The Monmouth University softball team swept their second consecutive Northeast Conference doubleheader on Sunday, defeating Quinnipiac 7-4 and 6-2 at the MU Softball Complex. The Hawks have now won seven straight contests to improve to 19-21-1 and 9-7 in the conference, while Quinnipiac falls to 19-35 and 5-13 in the league.
MU took the first game 7-4, scoring six runs in the first three innings. The 1-2-3 batters for Monmouth, Nichole Alvarez (Brick, N.J./Brick Township), Nora Bosmans (Oakhurst, N.J./Ocean Township) and Emily deLong (Rothschild, Wisc./DC Everest), each went 2-for-4 in the first game with at least one run scored. Alvarez added a double and a triple to go along with a pair of runs scored, Bosmans added a triple, two runs scored and a RBI and deLong had a double, a RBI and a run.
Lee Simonetti (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Our Lady of Lourdes) went 2-for-2, was on base three times, and added a run and a RBI. Jaime Jurewicz (Holland, Pa./Nazareth Academy) and Candice Palumbo (Hillsborough, N.J./Hillsborough) each went 1-for-3 with a RBI for the Hawks as well in the first game.
Freshman Melissa Mehrer (Florence, N.J./Florence Township) pitched a complete game for the win, surrendering four hits and one earned run while striking out three and walking four to improve to 6-9.
In the second game, MU broke a 2-2 deadlock in the fourth inning when Bosmans delivered the game-winning triple, chasing home pinch runner Dara Palms (Humble, Tex./Humble) and Alvarez to put the Hawks up 4-2. Monmouth added two insurance runs in the sixth when Kara O'Dell (Henderson, Nev./Green Valley) singled home pinch runner Alyson Slattery (Staten Island, N.Y./St. John Villa Academy) and Alvarez to put MU up 6-2.
Alvarez scored three runs and stole a base in the second game, while Bosmans went 2-for-4 with three RBI and deLong went 1-for-2 with a line drive home run to straight away centerfield, while Palumbo went 2-for-3 in the nightcap for MU.
The Hawks celebrated their Senior Day before the game, honoring O'Dell, Slattery, Lisa DiLeo (Commack, N.Y./Commack) and Gina Mignogna (Mt. Laurel, N.J./Lenape).
Monmouth now controls their destiny for the 2008 NEC Tournament, and if they sweep Saint Francis (Pa.) on May 3, the Hawks will clinch the third-seed in the four-team tournament, which is held May 9-11 at Long Island.
