WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J.-The Monmouth softball team (5-2) goes 10 innings against the George Mason Patriots (6-7) to win 6-5 at the George Mason Softball Complex Friday afternoon. Sophomore Kayleena Flores (Atwater, Calif./Buhach Colony) went 4-4 with one run, two RBI and two walks. Senior Tish Derer (Philadelphia, Pa./Saint Basil Academy) went 3-5 with two hits.
Senior Jordan Barnett (Eads, Colo./Eads [Garden City C.C.]) went the full 10 innings, tallying six strikeouts, three earned runs, two walks and seven hits.
"With all but a couple of pitches, Jordan did a great job of keeping us in the game," head coach Louie Berndt said of the complete game effort. "We finally were able to finish a close game. Our hitters need to continue to adjust which is an every at-bat process, which we will continue to work on."
George Mason scored in the first inning with a run from Julia Czarnecki, who advanced the bases on a fielder's choice and a double by Brooke Blakenship. Tiffany Webb, who advanced the bases on a series of fielder's choice throws, provided the second run of the inning.
The Hawks didn't get on the scoreboard until the fourth inning. Sophomore Vanessa Cardoza (Santa Ana, Calif./Ocean View) singled through the right side and advanced to second base on the throw. Flores blasted a triple to left center, bringing Cardoza across the plate, and scoring on the throw home. The Hawks maintained the 2-2 tie going into the eighth inning.
Derer was placed on second to start the eighth. With a walk to senior Kayla Weiser (Vandergrift, Pa./Kiski Area), Cardoza struck out looking on the next at-bat, but Weiser stole second and Derer took third. Flores doubled to left center, scoring both Derer and Weiser to take the 4-2 lead going into the bottom of the eighth.
For Mason, Czarnecki was placed on second to begin the inning. She advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Webb. Brooke Blankenship singled to left center, making the game 4-3, and was then brought home by a Megan Blank triple. The Patriots deadlocked the score through the ninth.
To begin the 10th inning, Derer was once again placed on second. Junior Kaitie Schumacher (San Diego, Calif./Scripps Ranch), who went 2-5 on the afternoon, grounded out to the pitcher, but advancing Derer to third. Weiser singled up the middle the next at-bat, bringing Derer home and giving the Hawks a 5-4 lead. With singles by Cardoza and Flores, the Hawks had bases loaded with one out. With a sacrifice fly by senior Christine Scherr (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth Area), Weiser scored and extended the lead to 6-4 before the inning was over.
The Patriots started the bottom of the 10th with Lauren McColgan on base. With one out a single by Czarnecki and a fielding error by Flores, Mason cut the lead to 6-5 after McColgan scored. The next at-bat, Blank hit into a 4-3 double play with Flores and Schumacher, ending the game and solidifying the Hawks' victory.
Monmouth will continue tournament action tomorrow with action against the Cornell Big Red at 10:00 a.m. and George Mason at 12:15 p.m.
