SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. - The Monmouth University softball team defeated Manhattan for the
second time this weekend, 3-2, in the consolation game of the Seton Hall Strike
Out Cancer Tournament on Sunday afternoon. Lauren Sulick (Canfield,
Ohio/Canfield) came on in relief and worked out of a jam in the top of the
seventh, before the Hawks manufactured the winning run in the bottom half to
walk off with the win. With the victory, the Hawks improve to 7-6, while the Jaspers
fall to 1-14.
Christine Scherr (Nazareth,
Pa./Nazareth Area) led the Hawks' offense, going 3-for-4 with a run scored,
while Alicia DeSanto (Upper Darby, Pa./Upper Darby) went 2-for-2, starting the
game-winning rally with an infield single and coming around to score the
decisive run on Kayla Weiser's (Vandergrift, Pa./Kiski Area) sacrifice fly.
Kate Kuzma (Freehold, N.J./Colts Neck) also added a solo home run for the
Hawks.
Alissa Schoelkopf (Sewell,
N.J./Washington Township) started the game in the circle for the Hawks,
allowing just two unearned runs on three hits and four walks in 4.1 innings
pitched, before giving way to Sulick. The senior hurler earned the win, holding
the Jaspers scoreless on one hit and one walk, while fanning four in 2.2
innings pitched.
The Hawks scored first in the
bottom of the first, manufacturing a run after Scherr reached on a leadoff
infield single and stole second. She moved to third on a sacrifice bunt from
Tish Derer (Philadelphia, Pa./Saint Basil Academy) and scored on a Vanessa
Cardoza (Santa Ana, Cailf./Ocean View) sacrifice fly.
The Jaspers pulled even with
an unearned run in the second, when Amanda Paxson scored on an error on what
would've been the third out. Manhattan then pulled ahead in the fifth, when
Kate Bowen reached on a leadoff error, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, and
took third on consecutive walks. She then scored on a groundout.
Kuzma's home run to lead off
the bottom of the fifth tied the game at 2-2. Sulick struck out the side in the
top of the sixth, but following a Kaitie Schumacher (San Diego, Calif./Scripps
Ranch) walk, the Hawks were set down in order to push the 2-2 tie to the
seventh.
The Jaspers threatened with a
Jocelin Whitmore double to lead off the inning. After Kate Bowen was hit by a
pitch, the runners moved to second and third on an Amanda Berrios sacrifice
bunt. A walk loaded the bases before Sulick struck out Paxson and got a
groundout to extinguish the threat.
DeSanto got the decisive
rally started with an infield single, before moving to second on a wild pitch.
DeSanto had to hold at second on Scherr's infield single, before the two
runners advanced to second and third on Derer's groundout. After Cardoza walked
to load the bases, Weiser drove in DeSanto with a sacrifice fly to right field.
The Hawks return to action
Saturday, when they commence Northeast Conference play with a home doubleheader
against defending NEC Tournament Champion Sacred Heart. First pitch from
Monmouth Softball Park is scheduled for 1 p.m.
