Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. – Justene Reyes (Carson, Calif./Warren) went 4-for-7 with four RBI's as the Monmouth University softball team swept Quinnipiac, 10-1 and 6-5, in a MAAC doubleheader Saturday afternoon at MU Softball Park. Monmouth ended Game 1 with a five-run bottom of the sixth, before breaking a 5-5 tie with the winning run in the bottom of the sixth of Game 2. With the sweep, the Hawks move to 7-13 (3-1 MAAC), while the Bobcats fall to 6-21 (2-2 MAAC).

Ashalynn Umiamaka (Kapolei, Hawaii/Kapolei [Eastern Arizona]) added a 3-for-6 effort with a double, four RBI's and three runs scored, while Chloe Howerth (Roscoe, Ill./Hononegah) went 2-for-5 with a team-best five runs scored and two stolen bases. Vanessa Cardoza (Santa Ana, Calif./Ocean View), Rachel Shotzbarger (Saugus, Calif./Saugus) and Kayleena Flores (Atwater, Calif./Buhach Colony) also each went 2-for-5. Cardoza and Shotzbarger scored twice each, while Cardoza doubled twice and Shotzbarger added an RBI double. Flores' bases-clearing double enacted the mercy rule in Game 1, accounting for all three of her RBI's on the day. Emma Hill (Rae, Mo./King City [Highland C.C.]) also added a hit, a stolen base and two runs scored.

Sydney Underhill (Temecula, Calif./Chaparral) went the first 9.2 innings in the circle for the Hawks, allowing six runs, three earned, on 10 hits and three walks, while striking out nine. She took the complete-game victory in Game 1, allowing just one earned run on four hits and two walks, striking out six in 6.0 innings. Breanna Sniffen (Winter Garden, Fla./West Orange [St. Petersburg College]) came on and pitched 3.1 innings of hitless relief, allowing just two walks, while striking out two to earn the Game 2 win. She has now held the opposition without a hit for her last 6.1 innings in the circle, covering two games.

Quinnipiac got its first three batters aboard in the top of the first of Game 1, but Underhill limited the damage to just one run. After getting an out herself on a comebacker for a force play at the plate, Underhill allowed a sacrifice fly to Casey Herzog for the game's first run. But Monmouth cut down a trail runner trying to advance on the throw to end the half inning.

The Hawks drew even in the bottom of the first, as Hill singled to short, stole second, took third on Howerth's sacrifice bunt and scored on an Umiamaka groundout. Monmouth scored twice more in the third. With Howerth at first with two outs, Shotzbarger singled down the left field line. Howerth aggressively dug for third, drawing a throw that allowed Shotzbarger to take second. Reyes then ripped a single to center to score two, giving Monmouth a lead it would not relinquish.

Monmouth loaded the bases in the fourth on a single and two walks before Umiamaka delivered a two-out, two-run single. On a dive, Quinnipiac shortstop Maria Ascher knocked down the ground ball to her glove side, but had no play as Umiamaka reached first safely. Cardoza was running on contact with two outs from second base to score behind Raelynn Galindo (Yorba Linda, Calif./Yorba Linda) to give Monmouth a 5-1 lead.

In the sixth, Herzog entered the circle in relief and was greeted rudely by Cardoza, who capped a seven-pitch at bat with a double to left center. Hill followed with a sacrifice bunt, advancing all the way to third on three-base throwing error. Cardoza scored on the play. Hill scored when Howerth put the ball on the ground, resulting in a fielding error. After Umiamaka and Reyes were hit by pitches with two outs, Flores doubled over the center fielder's head to clear the bases and end the game after six innings.

Quinnipiac again scored first in Game 2. Nikki Barba led off with a seven-pitch walk, moved to second on a Hannah Lindsley sacrifice bunt and scored on Dani Edmands' single up the middle. Monmouth responded with a tally of its own in the bottom of the first without benefit of a hit. A pair of walks and two wild pitches allowed Howerth to score.

The Hawks pushed across two more runs in the third. Howerth singled, stole second and scored on Umiamaka's double to left-center. Reyes followed with a run-scoring single to left to give Monmouth a 3-1 lead. Quinnipiac scored four runs, but just one earned, on three hits and two errors in the fourth to take a 5-3 lead. The big blow was a dropped fly ball off the bat of Barba, allowing three runs to score on what would've been the third out. The play signaled the end of the day for Underhill, who was replaced by Sniffen. The senior got a groundout to end the inning.

Monmouth evened the game with two runs in a whacky fifth inning. Umiamaka singled and scored on Shotzbarger's double to left. Reyes then drove in the tying run with a single up the middle. Nikki Sandelier's (Turnersville, N.J./Washington Township) bunt single put runners on first and second before Brooke Redmond reached base safely to load the bases with no one out. But upon appeal, Monmouth was ruled to have batted out of order. An out was recorded and the runners were summoned back to first and second, with Redmond back at the plate. She dropped down a successful sacrifice bunt, but Quinnipiac got a strikeout to escape further damage.
    
In the bottom of the sixth, Howerth walked, stole second and took third on a wild pitch. With one out, Quinnipiac managed to look Howerth back to third on a groundout for the second out. But a dropped throw from shortstop at first base allowed Howerth to score the game-winning run. Sniffen walked the leadoff batter in the seventh, but got a foul pop and a 5-4-3 double play to secure the victory.  

The Hawks return to non-conference action Wednesday, when they play host to Delaware. First pitch of the doubleheader is slated for 3 p.m.