ROCK HILL, S.C. ? The Monmouth University softball team split a doubleheader with Winthrop, losing the first game 9-0 and winning the second contest 5-2, at Terry Field on Tuesday afternoon. The Hawks are now 6-3 on the season, while the Eagles move to 7-10.
The Hawks fell behind the host Eagles 1-0 after one inning in the second game. MU came roaring back, striking for three runs in the top of the fourth on an Emily deLong (Rothschild, Wisc./DC Everest) three-run home run, her third round-tripper in the last four games.
Monmouth tacked on two more runs in the top of the seventh frame to take a 5-1 lead. Senior Candice Palumbo (Hillsborough, N.J./Hillsborough) led off the seventh with a single up the middle and eventually came around to score on an error. Freshman Chelsea Paprocki (Manassas, Va./Forest Park) drove in the Hawks final run when her single to left plated sophomore Abby Martin (Oswego, N.Y./Oswego), who had walked.
After allowing a run in the bottom of the first, sophomore pitcher Melissa Mehrer (Florence, N.J./Florence Township) shut the Eagles down until the bottom of the seventh, when Winthrop would add one more run. The hurler went all seven innings, allowing seven hits and two earned runs, striking out three and walking four to improve to 3-0 on the season.
MU dropped the first game of the doubleheader 9-0 to Winthrop as Eagle pitchers Megan Evans and Taylor Wright combined on the four-hitter. Senior Lee Simonetti (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Our Lady of Lourdes), junior Alexa Ferrara (West Caldwell, N.J./James Caldwell), Martin and Paprocki each had a hit for the Hawks in the first game. Senior Kristine Sawlsville (Wyomissing, Pa./Wilson) took the loss, falling to 2-3 on the season. The righty gave up nine hits and six earned runs in two innings of work. Martin finished the game out, pitching the final two innings, giving up three hits and three earned runs.
The Hawks return to action on Friday, March 13 when they take on Charleston Southern at 1:00 pm and Campbell at 3:00 pm at the Winthrop/adidas Invitational.
