EMMITSBURG, Md. – The Monmouth University softball team split its Northeast Conference doubleheader at Mount St. Mary's, winning the first game, 5-1 and losing the second, 5-2, on Saturday afternoon at Meadows Field. The Hawks conclude their 2011 season with a 21-21 overall record and a 10-10 record in league play, while the Mount is now 15-29 and 5-13 in the league.
MU senior Emily deLong (Rothschild, Wisc. /DC Everest) led off the fourth inning of the second game with a solo home run to right center, giving her 36 career blasts and sole possession of the program's career round-tripper record. She eclipses the previous mark of 35 which was held by Heather Gordon (2004-07).
The Hawks won the first game behind a dominant pitching performance from Lauren Sulick (Canfield, Ohio /Canfield), who fired a complete-game, five-hitter. She allowed one run, striking out three and walking two to earn her 19th win of the year, which ties her for the second-most victories in a single season in MU history.
After scoring once in the fifth, Monmouth exploded for four runs in the sixth. deLong started things off with a RBI single, Kate Kuzma (Freehold, N.J. /Colts Neck) followed with a run-scoring groundout, Colleen Kelly (Tallmadge, Ohio /Tallmadge) laced a RBI-single and Kaitie Schumacher (San Diego, Calif. /Scripps Ranch) executed a sacrifice bunt.
In the second game, the Mount went ahead 4-0 and never looked back, capturing the league win. Freshman Alicia DeSanto (Upper Darby, Pa. /Upper Darby) went 2-fof-4 with a RBI for the Hawks, while deLong also added two hits, including a double.
Sulick was credited with the loss in the second game, going six innings, allowing six hits and four runs (two earned).
