LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. ? The Monmouth University softball team swept in-state rival Rider in a nonconference doubleheader on Tuesday afternoon, winning 4-0 and 11-6 at Herb and Joan Young Field. MU improves to 22-13-1 on the season while the Broncs fall to 10-28.
In the first game of the day, the Hawks struck early as junior Alexa Ferrara (West Caldwell, N.J./James Caldwell) doubled home sophomore Emily deLong (Rothschild, Wisc./DC Everest), who had walked, in the top of the first frame. Ferrara supplied the first game's second big hit when she doubled to right center, plating a pair of runs.
Sophomore Melissa Mehrer (Florence, N.J./Florence Township), who won both games on the afternoon, went 5.0 innings, only allowing two hits. She struck out two and didn't walk a batter in the win. Sophomore Dara Palms (Humble, Tex./Humble) pitched the final 2.0 innings, giving up two hits.
Ferrara paced the offense in the first game, going 3-for-4 with three RBI. Senior Nichole Alvarez (Brick, N.J./Brick Township) went 2-for-3 with a double while deLong added a pair of runs and two stolen bases, giving her 18 swipes on the season.
In the nightcap, eight Hawks added at least one run or RBI as Monmouth tied a season-high with 14 hits. Six of the Hawks' hits went for extra bases, including three home runs. Ferrara launched a two-run homer to left in the fourth inning, her fourth of the season, boosting Monmouth's lead to 5-0 at the time. After Rider struck for two runs in the bottom of the fourth, deLong answered when she belted her Northeast Conference-leading 14th round-tripper of the season, also a two-run shot, to put MU back in front 7-2.
Senior Lee Simonetti (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Our Lady of Lourdes) added a two-run double in the top of the sixth, her third hit of the second game, and Alvarez concluded Monmouth's scoring with solo home run to center in the seventh.
Mehrer got the win in the second game to improve to 13-7 on the season. She went 4.0 innings, allowing four hits and two unearned runs, to go along with two strikeouts and no walks. Sophomore Abby Martin (Oswego, N.Y./Oswego) pitched the final three innings to earn Monmouth's first save of the season. She gave up four hits and four runs, two of which were earned.
Simonetti was 3-for-4 with three runs scored and three RBI while deLong was 3-for-5 with three runs driven in and a run scored. Ferrara went 2-for-5 with two RBI and a run while Alvarez was 3-for-4 with a RBI, two runs scored and two stolen bases, tying her with deLong for the team lead with 18 thefts. Freshman Colleen Kelly (Tallmadge, N.J./Tallmadge) went 2-for-5 with a run driven in while senior Candice Palumbo (Hillsborough, N.J./Hillsborough) added a pair of runs scored.
Monmouth returns to action on Thursday when they visit Saint Peter's for a 3:00 pm nonconference twinbill.
