BROOKLYN, N.Y. - The Monmouth University softball team swept Long Island University in a Northeast Conference doubleheader, winning 9-1 and 13-1, on Thursday afternoon at LIU Field. This marks the second consecutive season that the Hawks (14-13, 5-3 NEC) have swept the Blackbirds (8-27, 0-4 NEC).
MU starter Lauren Sulick (Canfield, Ohio /Canfield) pitched a pair of two-hitters in helping Monmouth earn the league twinbill sweep. She allowed an earned run in each contest, adding eight strikeouts in the first game, to improve to 13-8 on the season.
Monmouth broke the first game open with a five-run fourth inning, keyed by a pair of two-RBI hits. Freshman Kaitie Schumacher (San Diego, Calif. /Scripps Ranch) slugged a two-run homer, driving in classmate Shannon Fitzgerald (Santa Clarita, Calif. /Valencia), while senior Emily deLong (Rothschild, Wisc. /DC Everest) drove in Christine Scherr (Nazareth, Pa. /Nazareth Area) and Tish Derer (Philadelphia, Pa. /Saint Basil Academy) with a single.
Sophomore Kayla Weiser (Vandergrift, Pa. /Kiski Area) went 4-for-4 in the first game, adding two RBIs, two runs scored to go along with a double. Scherr went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored while Derer recorded a 2-for-3 performance.
In the second game, the Hawks scored in every inning en route to the five-inning victory. deLong laced a two-run double to right field in the second frame after Scherr put MU in front for good with a RBI single. Junior Chelsea Paprocki (Manassas, Va. /Forest Park) shot a two-run single to center in the third to put Monmouth in front, 6-1. MU continued its hot-hitting an inning later when Schumacher delivered a two-RBI single, Kate Kuzma (Freehold, N.J. /Colts Neck) followed with a run-scoring hit and Paprocki chased home two with a double. deLong added a solo home run in the fifth.
Kuzma delivered a 4-for-4 performance in the second game, with two doubles, two RBIs and two runs scored. deLong went 2-for-4 and Fitzgerald added a 2-for-3 game with two runs scored. Schumacher went 2-for-4 with three runs scored and two RBIs, while Paprocki went 2-for-4 with four RBIs.
MU returns to action on Sunday when it hosts Saint Francis in a league doubleheader. First pitch is set for 12:00 pm.
