WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. - The Monmouth University softball team split its Northeast Conference doubleheader with Wagner on Sunday, winning the first game, 4-3 and falling in the second affair, 1-0 at the MU Softball Park. The Hawks move to 15-10 overall with the split, including 8-1 in league play, while the Seahawks are now 10-23 overall and 5-5 in the NEC.
With MU's comeback win in the first game, it moved its winning streak to 10 straight contests, the longest such streak for the Hawks since 2005. The Blue and White tied the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the sixth before winning the contest in its final at-bat when senior Alexa Ferrara was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. The Seahawks handed Monmouth its first league loss in the second game as Wagner starter Amanda Garcia outdueled Hawks starter Lauren Sulick (Canfield, Ohio /Canfield), winning 1-0.
In the afternoon's first game, Monmouth took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third with Dara Palms' (Humble, Tex. /Humble) two-out, two-run double scored Christine Scherr (Nazareth, Pa. /Nazareth Area) and Jessica Nicola (South Amboy, N.J. /Sayreville War Memorial).
The Seahawks then seized control with a three-run top of the fourth, taking a 3-2 lead after Hailey Corthell connected for a two-RBI double to right field.
Monmouth tied the contest at 3-3 in the bottom of the sixth when freshman Tish Derer (Philadelphia, Pa. /Saint Basil Academy) came through with a two-out base hit that scored Ferrara. The Hawks then won the game in the seventh when, with the bases loaded, Ferrara was hit by a pitch, scoring Scherr, to give MU the win.
Scherr went a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate, lacing a double and adding a stolen base and two runs scored. Ferrara enjoyed a 2-for-3 first game for the Hawks.
Junior pitcher Melissa Mehrer (Florence, N.J. /Florence Township) won her eighth straight start to improve to 9-5 on the season. She surrendered only four hits in seven innings pitched, giving up only one earned run while striking out two batters without a walk.
In the second game, Sulick took the tough-luck loss in the circle to fall to 6-2 on the season. She pitched a complete-game six-hitter, giving up only the one run, while striking out five and walking two. Her counterpart, Garcia, earned her first win of the season in the game.
The Seahawks scored the game's only run in the top of the first when Brittany Huss drove in Krysta Fauria with a two-out single.
Nicola went 2-for-3 for MU in the second game, including a double to left center in the third inning.
MU, currently in first place in the league, returns to action on Wednesday when it hosts Lehigh in a nonconference twinbill at 3:00 pm.
