SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Jill Freese (Oxford, Pa./Oxford Area) hit a two-run home run, but the Monmouth University softball team was defeated by Utah State, 8-2, Saturday at the Gaucho II Classic. With the loss, the Hawks fall to 5-7, while the Aggies are now 7-13.

Shannon Fitzgerald (Santa Clarita, Calif./Valencia) went 2-for-3 and Justene Reyes (Carson, Calif./Warren) added a double, but the Hawks were otherwise kept off balance by Utah State pitchers Noelle Johnson and Cheyenne Harper. Johnson picked up the win, allowing two earned runs on two hits and one walk, while striking out eight in five innings.

Breanna Sniffen (Winter Garden, Fla./West Orange [St. Petersburg College]) took the loss, allowing five earned runs on five hits and a walk in two-plus innings pitched. She struck out three. Sydney Underhill (Temecula, Calif./Chaparral) struggled after inheriting a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the third, but pitched three scoreless innings to end the game.

The Aggies got on the board first in the bottom of the second on Libby Pederson's solo home run to center. The Hawks answered back in the top of the third when Freese followed a leadoff walk to Raelynn Galindo (Yorba Linda, Calif./Yorba Linda) with a two-run home run center to give Monmouth a 2-1 lead.

But the wheels fell off in the bottom of the third for MU. Sniffen allowed three-straight singles and a hit-by-pitch to open the inning before being replaced by Underhill. The freshman inherited a tie game and a bases-loaded jam and all three base runners came around to score on consecutive singles. Three more runs scored on a wild pitch, a groundout and an error to account for the final score of 8-2.  

The Hawks conclude Gaucho Classic II action tomorrow, when they take on Portland State at noon and Dartmouth at 2 p.m. (ET).