Box Score PRINCETON, NJ – Rachel Shotzbarger (Saugus, CA/Saugus) hit a two-run home run, but the Monmouth University softball team was edged at Princeton, 4-3, Tuesday afternoon. With the loss, the Hawks fall to 13-12 on the season, while the Tigers are now 8-20.

Emma Hill (Rae, MO/King City [Highland C.C.]) and Chloe Howerth (Roscoe, IL/Hononegah) each contributed a hit and a run scored, with Hill also swiping her 16th base in as many tries this season. Justene Reyes (Carson, CA/Warren) also reached twice on a single and a walk, while Jill Freese (Oxford, PA/Oxford Area) also chipped in with a base hit.

Sydney Underhill (Temecula, CA/Chaparral) took the loss in the circle, allowing four runs, three earned, on six hits in 3.2 innings pitched. She struck out three. Amanda Riley (Tracy, CA/John C. Kimball) allowed just one hit in 2.1 innings of relief, striking out four.

The Hawks got on the board first in the top of the first, as Hill singled, stole second, took third on a wild pitch and scored on an error. The Tigers evened the score in the bottom of the frame on Kayla Bose's RBI double.

With one out in the top of the third, Howerth singled, setting the table for Shotzbarger's two-run shot to left. Underhill induced a double-play ball to face the minimum in the bottom of the third before running into trouble in the fourth. Consecutive doubles put runners on second and third with one out. Underhill got the second out on a groundout to third, but Haley Hineman tied the game with a two-out, two-run single up the middle.

Riley replaced Underhill in the circle and a hit-by-pitch and a pair of passed balls allowed Hineman to score with what proved to be the winning run.

The Hawks return to action tomorrow at noon, when they travel to league foe Iona for a doubleheader.