FAIRFIELD, Conn. - The Monmouth University softball team split a Northeast Conference doubleheader with Sacred Heart on Saturday afternoon, losing the first game, 2-1 and winning the second one, 12-3 at Pioneer Park. The Hawks move to 12-11 overall this season, and 3-1 in the league, while the Pioneers are now 14-12 and 3-1 in the NEC.
In the first game of the day, the Hawks dropped a 2-1 pitcher's duel as Sacred Heart's Jen Russell bested MU's Lauren Sulick (Canfield, Ohio /Canfield). Russell, an All-NEC Second Team selection a season ago, pitched a complete-game, six-hitter, only allowing an unearned run, while Sulick also went the distance, surrendering six hits and two earned runs.
Monmouth scored the first run in the second game when junior Colleen Kelly (Tallmadge, Ohio /Tallmadge) singled home Shannon Fitzgerald (Santa Clarita, Calif. /Valencia) in the second inning. The Pioneers took a lead they would not give up in the bottom of the frame when Kirsten Savage singled home a pair of teammates.
Kelly went 2-for-3 for the Hawks in the first contest, as Emily deLong (Rothschild, Wisc. /DC Everest) went 2-for-4, adding a double.
In the second game, MU enjoyed an offensive explosion, scoring a season-high 12 runs on 17 hits. The Hawks seized control of the contest with four runs in the fifth and five runs in the sixth. The big blast in the fifth frame came courtesy of a deLong two-run homer, while Fitzgerald laced a two-run single in the sixth.
Five Hawks had at least two hits in the second game, and three logged three-hit performances. Christine Scherr (Nazareth, Pa. /Nazareth Area) went 3-for-5 with a triple and three runs scored, Tish Derer (Philadelphia, Pa. /Saint Basil Academy) went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and Fitzgerald went 3-for-5 with a double, three RBIs and two runs.
Kate Kuzma (Freehold, N.J. /Colts Neck) had two RBI's and two runs scored, while Kelly went 2-for-5 with a RBI and Kaitie Schumacher (San Diego, Calif. /Scripps Ranch) went 2-for-4 as well.
MU returns to action on Sunday when it visits Quinnipiac for a league twinbill. First pitch is set for 12:00 pm.
