RIVERDALE, N.Y. - The Monmouth University softball team split a nonconference doubleheader with Manhattan College, winning the first game, 7-5 and falling in the second contest, 6-5 in eight innings, at Gaelic Park on Tuesday afternoon. The Hawks are now 23-15 on the season, while the Lady Jaspers sit at 17-19-1.
MU used a four-run fourth inning to pull away from the hosts in its first game win, while Manhattan scored twice in the bottom of the eighth to sneak past the Hawks in the second contest.
Monmouth freshman Kayla Weiser (Vandergrift, Pa. /Kiski Area) went a combined 7-for-8 in the doubleheader, accounting for four RBI and three runs scored. The newcomer added her first collegiate home run in the fourth inning of the second game, sending a two-run shot over the right-centerfield fence to tie the contest.
The Hawks took a 1-0 lead in the first inning of the first contest on a two-out, RBI single from Alexa Ferrara (West Caldwell, N.J. /James Caldwell), plating fellow senior Jessica Nicola (South Amboy, N.J. /Sayreville War Memorial), who also singled.
The Lady Jaspers struck for two in the second, but MU tied the contest in the third when Nicola doubled home freshman Christine Scherr (Nazareth, Pa. /Nazareth Area) with one of her three runs scored. The Hawks seized a 6-2 lead in the fourth on RBI hits from Scherr, Nicola and Weiser, but Manhattan drew to within a run in the bottom of the frame. MU added an insurance tally in the sixth when Weiser singled home Scherr, who led off the frame with a double.
MU starter Melissa Mehrer (Florence, N.J. /Florence Township) went the distance in the circle, surrendering 11 hits. She struck out six and allowed only one walk to improve to 14-6 on the season.
Weiser led the offensive effort in the first game, going 4-for-4 with two RBI. Nicola went 3-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored, while Scherr went 2-for-3, adding a RBI from the leadoff spot.
In the second game, the Lady Jaspers took an early lead with a two-run homer in the third off of Monmouth starter Lauren Sulick (Canfield, Ohio /Canfield). The Hawks tied the contest on Weiser's round-tripper one frame later, only to lose the lead in the fifth. Trailing 3-2 entering the sixth, MU took a 4-3 lead on runs from Weiser and Ferrara.
The Lady Jaspers tied the contest at 4-4 in the seventh, but the Hawks took a 5-4 lead in the eighth on a RBI single from junior Dara Palms (Humble, Tex. /Humble), scoring Weiser. MC would win the game in the bottom of the eighth on a bases-loaded, walk-off walk, winning 6-5.
Weiser went 3-for-4 with three runs scored and two RBI in the second game, while Palms went 2-for-4 for the Hawks.
Sulick pitched a complete game, allowing 11 hits. She struck out six and walked eight, falling to 9-7 on the season.
Monmouth returns to action on Thursday when it hosts in-state rival Rider at 3:00 pm.
Note: Check out Kayla Weiser's insight in the newest entry in the Monmouth Softball Blog here.
