LORETTO, Pa. ? The Monmouth University softball team was eliminated from Northeast Conference postseason contention on Saturday afternoon, falling 4-2 to Saint Francis (Pa.) in the first game of the afternoon's scheduled doubleheader. The second game of the day was cancelled due to inclement weather with Monmouth leading 6-0 in the top of the third inning and the Red Flash clinch the final spot in the upcoming NEC Tournament.

The Hawks took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning of the first game on Nichole Alvarez's (Brick, N.J./Brick Township) eighth home run of the season. The Red Flash came back to tie the game in the bottom of the frame, but Monmouth regained the lead 2-1 in the top of the fifth when Alvarez singled home senior Gina Mignogna (Mt. Laurel, N.J./Lenape Regional).

Saint Francis (Pa.) struck for three runs in the bottom of the fifth en route to winning the first game 4-2 and clinching the final spot in the conference tournament.

Monmouth was led by Alvarez, who went 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored. Nora Bosmans (Oakhurst, N.J./Ocean Township) and Emily deLong (Rothschild, Wisc./DC Everest) each went 1-for-3 for Monmouth in the first game, while freshman Melissa Mehrer (Florence, N.J./Florence Township) took the loss, falling to 6-10 in the season. She pitched 4.2 innings, giving up five hits and two earned runs. Fellow freshman Abby Martin (Oswego, N.Y./Oswego) pitched a perfect final 1.1 innings for Monmouth.

The Hawks finish the 2008 season with a 19-22-1 record and a 9-8 mark in league play.