SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Vanessa Cardoza (Santa Ana, Calif./Ocean View) had four hits, two runs and an RBI on the day as the Monmouth University softball team split a pair of games at the Gaucho Classic II Friday. The Hawks fell to host UC Santa Barbara, 6-3, to start the day, before bouncing back with a 4-2 victory over Utah State. With the split, Monmouth moves to 5-6 on the year, while UCSB is 17-5 and Utah State is 5-13.

Freshman Rachel Shotzbarger (Saugus, Calif./Saugus) went 2-for-3 with a run scored and two RBI's in the UCSB game. Shannon Fitzgerald (Santa Clarita, Calif./Valencia) and Kayleena Flores (Atwater, Calif./Buhach Colony) added two hits each on the day. Fitzgerald also scored a run and had an RBI. Justene Reyes (Carson, Calif./Warren) and Kaitie Schumacher (San Diego, Calif./Scripps Ranch) each had a hit and an RBI, while Jill Freese (Oxford, Pa./Oxford Area) had a hit, a run scored and an RBI. Raelynn Galindo (Yorba Linda, Calif./Yorba Linda) also added a double and a run scored.

Sydney Underhill pitched 11.1 innings on the day, taking both decisions in the circle. All four of her runs in the loss to UCSB were unearned due to her own throwing error in the four-run sixth inning for the Gauchos, while she allowed two earned runs in a complete-game victory over Utah State. On the day, she allowed nine hits and two walks, while striking out nine. Breanna Sniffen (Winter Garden, Fla./West Orange [St. Petersburg College]) got the start against UCSB and allowed two earned runs on 1.2 innings pitched.

In the opener against UCSB, the Hawks immediately scratched across a run in the top of the first, as Alicia DeSanto (Upper Darby, Pa./Upper Darby) walked, Cardoza singled and Reyes was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Shotzbarger. The freshman coaxed a walk to push DeSanto across with the go-ahead run. UCSB counted with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first on MeShalon Moore's double to left center.

After three scoreless frames, the Hawks scored two more runs in the top of the fifth. Cardoza hit a one-out single up the middle, before Shotzbarger delivered a two-out double to right center to tie the game. The Hawks made the Gauchos pay for a two-out error, with Schumacher hitting an infield single to score Shotzbarger with the go-ahead run.

UCSB threatened in the bottom of the fifth, as Kristen Clark led off with a single, stole second and took third on a groundout. But Underhill got a strikeout and induced a groundout to extinguish the threat and preserve the Hawks' 3-2 lead after five innings.

Underhill nearly worked out of another jam in the sixth inning. Lauren Boser doubled to lead off the inning and pinch runner Jaqueline Hinojosa moved to third on an error. Underhill got a ground ball and Flores cut down Hinojosa at the plate on a fielder's choice for the first out. Underhill then induced a comebacker and forced out the lead runner at third for the second out. But Stacy Cavazos and Clark followed with consecutive RBI singles up the middle to give UCSB the lead. Kathryn Pilpil gave the Gauchos some insurance with a two-run double, giving the Gauchos a 6-3 lead after six innings.

The Hawks loaded the bases with one out in the seventh, but the Gauchos got a fielder's choice and a lineout to end the game.    

Against Utah State, the Hawks again scored in the first inning, this time with two runs on consecutive RBI singles by Cardoza and Reyes. The lead extended to 4-0 with a pair of runs in the fourth. Galindo doubled with one out before coming around to score on a Freese single. Freese then scored on a Fitzgerald double down the right field line.

The Aggies threatened in the sixth, loading the bases on a pair of errors and a single. But Underhill got a strikeout to end the half inning.

Utah State pushed across a pair of runs in the seventh, but it wasn't enough as the Hawks came away with the 4-2 victory. Underhill got a flyout and two groundouts against the last three batters of the game to earn the complete-game victory.

The Hawks return to Gaucho Classic II action tomorrow, when they take on Utah State at 2 p.m.