Box Score BUFFALO, N.Y. –
Justene Reyes (Carson, Calif./Warren) and
Rachel Shotzbarger (Saugus, Calif./Saugus) hit back-to-back two-out home runs in the top of the first and the fifth-seeded Monmouth University softball team defeated No. 4 Siena, 5-4, in the MAAC Championship opening round Wednesday afternoon at the Demske Sports Complex. With the win, the Hawks (17-23) move on to play top-seeded Canisius tomorrow at 11:30 a.m.
“It was an exciting game and a great team effort,” said Monmouth Head Coach
Louie Berndt. “We made some great plays at key moments. We had offense, defense and pitching. That's how you win games. I'm happy for the team.”
Emma Hill (Rae, Mo./King City [Highland C.C.]) and
Chloe Howerth (Roscoe, Ill./Hononegah) each had two hits, a stolen base and a run scored.
Ashalynn Umiamaka (Kapolei, Hawaii/Kapolei [Eastern Arizona]) added a hit and an RBI, while
Vanessa Cardoza (Santa Ana, Calif./Ocean View) also chipped in with a base hit.
Sydney Underhill (Temecula, Calif./Chaparral) went the distance in the circle, allowing four earned runs on 10 hits and a walk. She struck out two.
After a pair of bang-bang plays at first for two outs to open the top of the first, Umiamaka blooped a single into left center and Reyes smashed a 2-2 offering over the left field fence. Shotzbarger made it back-to-back jacks with a lined shot over the left field wall on a 1-2 pitch to stake Monmouth to a 3-0 lead.
Sammy Smaldone's home run down the left field line cut the Hawks' lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the third. Monmouth tacked on two runs in the top of the fifth. With one out, Hill and Howerth hit consecutive infield singles before a throwing error by the catcher on a double steal allowed Hill to score. Howerth moved up to third on the play and scored on an Umiamaka groundout to make it 5-1 Monmouth.
Siena loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the fifth, before a fielder's choice for the second out allowed a run to score. A wild pitch put runners on second and third before Abby Carpenter singled them both home. Underhill surrendered another double to put runners on second and third before inducing a groundout to salvage a 5-4 lead.
Siena threatened with a pair of two-out singles in the bottom of the sixth before Smaldone singled through the left side. But Howerth threw a perfect strike to the plate for the third out. Monmouth threatened with runners on second and third with one out in the top of the seventh, but a line-out double play ended the threat. Underhill then got three straight groundouts to work a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh and end the game.
