PHILADELPHIA, Pa. ? The Monmouth University softball team swept the University of Pennsylvania in a nonconference doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Warren Field, winning each game 1-0. The Hawks, who have now won three straight and six of their last seven games, improve to 8-3 on the season while the Quakers fall to 4-13.
Monmouth's 1-2 pitching punch of senior Kristine Sawlsville (Wyomissing, Pa./Wilson) and sophomore Melissa Mehrer (Florence, N.J./Florence Township) each logged a shutout on the day, giving up a combined five hits while striking out 18 and walking no one in the two games.
“Kristine and Melissa truly earned their wins today,” said Monmouth head coach Carol Sullivan. “Our offense struggled and forced them to work with no room for mistakes. The great news for us is that they did pitch mistake-free today.”
In the first game, Sawlsville allowed three hits in the complete-game win, striking out 11 Quakers, her most in a contest since sitting down 12 against Sacred Heart on May 6, 2007. The senior did not allow a runner past second base in the win to even her season record to 3-3.
The Hawks scored their run in the first game when senior Lee Simonetti (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Our Lady of Lourdes) singled to left field and came around to score on sophomore Emily deLong's (Rothschild, Wisc./DC Everest) triple to right field. Junior Alexa Ferrara (West Caldwell, N.J./James Caldwell) was the lone Hawk to log a multiple-hit game, going 2-for-3 in the first contest of the day.
In the day's second game, Mehrer improved to 4-0 on the season with complete-game win, surrendering two hits while striking out a season-high seven batters. She only allowed one runner to reach third base in the second game.
The Blue and White scored the second game's lone run in the top of the seventh when deLong tripled to center and was chased home by junior Jessica Nicola's (South Amboy, N.J./Sayreville War Memorial) double to left field. Nicola also singled in the fifth and stole a base to pace the MU offense in the second game.
Monmouth returns to action tomorrow, Sunday March 21 when they host Columbia at 1:00 pm.
