Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 LOS ANGELES – The Monmouth University softball team erupted for 12 runs in a 12-0 mercy-rule-shortened victory over Fairleigh Dickinson to begin play in the Loyola Marymount Tournament Friday morning at Smith Field. The Hawks (5-4) were then tied at 4-4 with the host Lions after five innings when rain suspended the rest of the day's action. The resumption of play against LMU is slated for Sunday at 11:30 a.m. (ET)/8:30 a.m. (PT).

Playing just 11 miles from her hometown, Justene Reyes (Carson, CA/Warren) had a happy homecoming with a pair of home runs and four RBI's. Nicole Wieczorek (Oakdale, NY/Connetquot) also drove in four with three hits, including her second home run of the year and a triple. Ashalynn Umiamaka (Kapolei, HI/Kapolei [Eastern Arizona]) also had three hits, three runs scored and an RBI, while Rachel Shotzbarger (Saugus, CA/Saugus) and Jill Freese (Oxford, PA/Oxford Area) added two hits apiece. Freese drove in two and scored twice, while Shotzbarger had an RBI and two runs scored.

Amanda Riley (Tracy, CA/John C. Kimball) hit a two-run double and added a sacrifice fly for three RBI's against FDU. Chloe Howerth (Roscoe, IL/Hononegah) had a hit, a run, an RBI and three walks in reaching safely in reaching safely in 4-of-6 plate appearances, while Emma Hill (Rae, MO/King City [Highland C.C.]) reached safely in 4-of-7 plate appearances with a hit, two walks and a hit-by-pitch.

Sydney Underhill (Temecula, CA/Chaparral) earned the victory against FDU with four shutout innings, scattering six hits without walking a batter. She's also the current pitcher of record against LMU, having pitched 1.2 innings of unblemished relief. Riley got the start in the circle against Loyola Marymount and allowed four earned runs on four hits and two walks over 3.1 innings pitched. She struck out six. Katie Baron (Matawan, NJ/St. John Vianney) retired the Knights in order to close the door on the victory over FDU.

The Hawks took a 5-0 lead in the bottom of the first against FDU and never looked back. Hill singled, stole second and scored on Shotzbarger's RBI single through the right side. Umiamaka and Freese followed with run-scoring singles, before Riley drove in two with a two-out double down the left-field line to make it 5-0 Monmouth after one.

An error with one out allowed Umiamaka to reach in the third, before she scored on Freese's double to left. Wieczorek then sent a two-run blast over the left-field fence to stake the Hawks to an 8-0 lead.

The scoring continued in the fourth as Reyes led off the frame with a solo shot to left center. Umiamaka then doubled and pinch-hitter Raelynn Galindo (Yorba Linda, CA/Yorba Linda) reached on a fielder's choice to put runners on second and third. Wieczorek's two-run triple to center made it 11-0, before she scored Monmouth's final run of the contest on Riley's sacrifice fly. Baron came on in the circle to work a 1-2-3 top of the fifth to end the game.

Against Loyola Marymount, the Lions struck first with a leadoff home run from Meghan von Behren in the bottom of the first. In the top of the third, singles from Wieczorek and Brooke Redmond (Cooksville, MD/Glenelg) and a hit-by-pitch to Hill loaded the bases with one out. Howerth then singled up the middle to tie the game at 1-1.

The Lions would get the run back in the bottom of the frame when Stephanie Maciel hit a solo homer to left center. In the bottom of the fourth, LMU tacked on two more to extend its lead to 4-1. Two singles, a passed ball and a stolen base put runners on second and third before the first run scored on another wild pitch. A groundout then plated the Lions' next run.

Monmouth would even the score in the top of the fifth on Reyes' second home run of the day, this one a three-run jack to left. Howerth had walked and Shotzbarger singled to set the table for the junior first baseman. After Underhill worked a 1-2-3 bottom half of the fifth, the skies opened up and the game had to be halted.  

The Hawks return to LMU Tournament action tomorrow, when they face Harvard at 1 p.m. (ET)/10 a.m. (PT) and Fairleigh Dickinson at 5 p.m. (ET)/2 p.m. (PT).