WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. ? The Monmouth University softball team swept Manhattan from the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference in a doubleheader on Tuesday afternoon, winning the first game 6-4 and the nightcap 8-1. The Hawks, winners of six straight and seven of their last eight, improve to 12-15-1, while Manhattan falls to 5-16.
Freshman Dara Palms (Humble, Tex./Humble) had hand in both MU victories, picking up her first collegiate save in the first game and her second win of the season in the second contest. She worked a scoreless seventh in the first game, saving the contest for fellow freshman Melissa Mehrer (Florence, N.J./Florence Township), and pitched five innings of one-run ball in the second game to improve to 2-1 on the season.
Mehrer scattered nine hits over six innings of work in game one, a 6-4 MU win, giving up four runs and striking out two batters. She improves to 4-8 on the season with the win. After Manhattan jumped out in front 1-0 in the top of the first inning of the first game, the contest took on the appearance of a pitcher's duel, as no one was able to cross the plate until the fifth inning. The Jaspers scored in the top half of the frame to go up 2-0, but the Hawks offense came alive, erupting for six runs in the bottom of the frame. It marked the third time in the last six games that the Hawks have scored more than five runs in a single inning.
The inning started when Jaime Jurewicz (Holland, Pa./Nazareth Academy) drew a leadoff walk and was pinch ran for by Alyson Slattery (Staten Island, N.Y./St. John Villa Academy). Slattery was sacrificed over to second base and Lisa DiLeo (Commack, N.Y./Commack) followed with a walk. Senior Gina Mignogna )Mt. Laurel, N.J./Lenape Regional) reached on an error by the shortstop and everyone advanced, including pinch runner Jessellyn Jackson (Howell, N.J./Colts Neck). Nichole Alvarez (Brick, N.J./Brick Township) launched a long single to right centerfield that scored Slattery and Jackson to tie the game at 2-2. After Alvarez stole second, junior Lee Simonetti (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Our Lady of Lourdes) delivered a three-run home run over the left field fence to put the Hawks in front 5-2.
The final tally came when Jurewicz singled home reigning Northeast Conference Rookie of the Week Emily deLong (Rothschild, Wisc./DC Everest) after she had reached on an error. Manhattan tacked on two runs in the top of the sixth before Palms took over in the seventh to nail down the save.
Alvarez went 2-for-3 in the game and freshman Abby Martin (Oswego, N.Y./Oswego) added a pinch-hit single in the fifth inning.
In the second game, the Hawks put up two runs apiece in the first, second, fourth and sixth innings to come away with an 8-1 victory. Palms claimed the win, scattering eights hits and striking out three while walking none. Martin came on to work a scoreless sixth and seventh, striking out four in two innings.
Alvarez had an RBI, run scored and a stolen base in the game, while Simonetti went 1-for-3 with two runs driven in. deLong added an RBI and a run, and Jessica Nicola (South Amboy, N.J./Sayreville War Memorial) went 3-for-4 with a two-run home run, her third of the season, in the bottom of the first inning. Kara O'Dell (Henderson, Nev./Green Valley) went 2-for-4 in the game, while Alexa Ferrara (West Caldwell, N.J./James Caldwell) added an RBI. Nora Bosmans (Oakhurst, N.J./Ocean Township) scored a pair of runs and Mignogna was a perfect 2-for-2 with a RBI and a run scored.
The Hawks, who improved to 7-1 at home this season, return to action with a pair of imperative NEC doubleheaders this weekend against the two teams that played for the league title a season ago. First, MU hosts Wagner on Saturday, April 12 for a doubleheader at 1:00 p.m. They then host defending NEC regular season and tournament champion Long Island on Sunday, April 13 at 12:00 p.m.
