WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. - Chelsea Paprocki (Manassas, Va./Forest Park) had three hits, including a walk-off two-RBI single in the seventh inning of Game 2 as the Monmouth University softball team swept intrastate rival Rider, 4-3 and 3-0, Wednesday afternoon at MU Softball Park. With the wins, the Hawks improve to 20-18, while the Broncs fall to 18-27-1.

Paprocki had a team-high three RBI's, while Kate Kuzma (Freehold, N.J./Colts Neck) and Kaitie Schumacher (San Diego, Calif./Scripps Ranch) also added three hits each. Christine Scherr (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth Area) reached safely in six of seven plate appearances with two hits and three walks, while Colleen Kelly (Tallmadge, Ohio/Tallmadge) went 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBI's. Kelly provided a pinch hit RBI single in the sixth inning of Game 1 and blasted a solo home run in Game 2. Tish Derer (Philadelphia, Pa./Saint Basil Academy) and Vanessa Cardoza (Santa Ana, Calif./Ocean View) also chipped in with two hits apiece.

Lauren Sulick (Canfield, Ohio/Canfield) earned the win in the circle in Game 1, limiting the Broncs to three unearned runs on two hits and three walks in seven innings. She struck out six. Sulick did not allow a hit until a two-out single in the sixth inning. Alissa Schoelkopf (Sewell, N.J./Washington Township) took the Game 2 win, spinning a complete-game shutout with four strikeouts. Schoelkopf scattered seven hits and three walks in the full seven innings.

A walk and faulty defense led to Rider's first run in the top of the third of Game 1. Amanda Irving walked to lead off the inning, before the Hawks attempted to cut down the lead runner on Kehli Washington's sacrifice bunt attempt. But Irving beat the throw to second, putting runners on first and second without an out. The next Rider batter also sacrificed, but again attempting to cut down the lead runner, the Hawks threw the ball into left field. Irving scored on the play and the runners moved up to second and third, still without an out. But Sulick exhibited exemplary damage control with two groundouts and a popout to limit the Broncs to the one run.

Rider added two more unearned runs in the sixth. After Sulick got the first two batters out, a single and a fielding error put runners on first and second. Lisa Blanton then doubled to left, scoring both runners to push the Rider lead to 3-0.

Monmouth got one run back in the bottom of the sixth on Kelly's two-out pinch-hit RBI single up the middle, before rallying for three runs in seventh. Derer led off with an infield single, before scoring on Schumacher's double to right center. A single and a fielding error loaded the bases for Paprocki, whose lined shot ricocheted into left field off the glove of the third baseman. Cardoza and Kayla Weiser (Vandergrift, Pa./Kiski Area) came around to score the game-winning runs.

In Game 2, the Hawks immediately scored in the bottom of the first. Scherr reached on a fielding error, before moving to second on Derer's bunt single. She moved to second on a Schumacher flyout to deep center, before scoring on a Cardoza infield single.

After Weiser doubled down the left field line in the second and stole third, Paprocki picked up her third RBI of the day with a single to left center to put the Hawks ahead, 2-0, in the second inning. Kelly homered with two outs in the third to stake Monmouth to a 3-0 lead.

The advantage would be more than enough for Schoelkopf, who did not allow a base runner to reach third base all game.    

The Hawks return to Northeast Conference action Saturday, when they play host to Mount St. Mary's. First pitch of the doubleheader is scheduled for 1 p.m. at MU Softball Park.