WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. ? The Monmouth University softball team split its first Northeast Conference doubleheader of the season with Robert Morris, falling 2-1 in the first contest and winning the second game 11-3 in five innings, on Saturday afternoon. The Hawks are now 11-6 overall on the season while the Colonials are 12-12.
MU claimed a five-inning, 11-3 victory win the second game to salvage a split. After scoring one run in the bottom of the first inning, the Hawks exploded for eight runs in the third keyed by senior Jaime Jurewicz's (Holland, Pa./Nazareth Academy) three-RBI, bases clearing double..
Freshman Chelsea Paprocki (Manassas, Va./Forest Park) led off the third with a double and came around to score on sophomore Emily deLong's (Rothschild, Wisc./DC Everest) single up the middle. Sophomore Alexa Ferrara (West Caldwell, N.J./James Caldwell) added a double in the inning as well and scored on Jurewicz's hit. Paprocki ended the inning's scoring with a two-run triple to give the Hawks a 9-2 lead.
Although Robert Morris was able to put up one run each in the third, fourth and fifth innings, the Hawks tacked on two runs in the bottom of the fourth and held on for the mercy rule win.
Paprocki went 2-for-3 with a double and a triple to go along with two runs driven in and a run scored from the leadoff spot. deLong went 2-for-3 as well with a RBI and two runs scored while Ferrara added two hits, a run and a RBI. Jessica Nicola (South Amboy, N.J./Sayreville War Memorial) added a run scored and a RBI while senior Nichole Alvarez (Brick, N.J./Brick Township) added two runs scored and a stolen base.
Sophomore Melissa Mehrer (Florence, N.J./Florence Township) pitched all five innings to earn the win and improve to 6-1 on the season. She scattered seven hits and gave up three runs, two of which were earned, to go along with six strikeouts and one walk.
The Colonials defeated MU 2-1 in the afternoon's first game behind a four-hit complete game from pitcher Alexa Bryson. Bryson improved to 8-1 on the season with the win, striking out 10 and only walking one. Monmouth senior Kristine Sawlsville (Wyomissing, Pa./Wilson) pitched well in the first game, giving up only six hits in seven innings. She surrendered two earned runs and struck out six while walking one.
Paprocki, Ferrara, deLong and Nicola each added a hit in the first game. Nicola had a single to left center in the third inning to plate Paprocki for Monmouth's lone run in the first game.
The Hawks return to action tomorrow, Sunday, March 28 when they host Saint Francis at 12:00 pm.
