Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, NY –
Nicole Wieczorek (Oakdale, NY/Connetquot) went 4-for-5 as the Monmouth University softball team split at Niagara, taking Game 1, 10-3, before falling in Game 2, 2-1. With the split, the Hawks move to 25-18 (12-6 MAAC), while the Purple Eagles are now 10-32 (8-8 MAAC).
Justene Reyes (Carson, CA/Warren) and
Brooke Redmond (Cooksville, MD/Glenelg) added three hits apiece, with Reyes hitting her ninth home run of the year, driving in two and scoring twice.
Katie Baron (Matawan, NJ/St. John Vianney),
Jill Freese (Oxford, PA/Oxford Area) and
Emma Hill (Rae, MO/King City [Highland C.C.]) also chipped in with two hits and a run score apiece.
Rachel Shotzbarger (Saugus, CA/Saugus) also stole a base and scored twice.
Monmouth pitchers went the distance in both games.
Sydney Underhill (Temecula, CA/Chaparral) allowed three earned runs on five hits and four walks, striking out five in seven innings for the Game 1 victory.
Amanda Riley (Tracy, CA/John C. Kimball) took the Game 2 loss, scattering five hits and four walks in six innings pitched. She allowed two earned runs and struck out eight.
In Game 1, the Hawks jumped out to a 3-0 lead, making Niagara pay for a pair of two-out walks.
Ashalynn Umiamaka (Kapolei, HI/Kapolei [Eastern Arizona]) hit a two-run double to get Monmouth on the board, before Freese followed with an RBI single to make it 3-0. Niagara responded in the bottom of the inning with two runs. A walk and two singles loaded the bases before a fielder's choice plated the Purple Eagles' first run. Jennifer Szilagyi then hit an RBI single to cut Monmouth's lead to 3-2. Two walks and a Bridget Hogan two-out RBI single tied the game at 3-3 after two innings.
Monmouth then struck for two runs in the fourth and five more in the sixth to put the game out of reach. Freese and Wieczorek hit back-to-back doubles to give Monmouth a 4-3 lead, before Baron's RBI single made it 5-3 Hawks. Three straight singles from Wieczorek, Redmond and Baron loaded the bases in the top of the sixth, before
Chloe Howerth (Roscoe, IL/Hononegah) drew a bases-loaded, two-out walk to force in Monmouth's sixth run. Two more runs scored on an error, before Howerth scored on a double steal. Reyes capped the scoring with an RBI double to make it 10-3 Monmouth. Underhill retired the last 11 batters she faced to close out the victory.
Niagara struck first with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third in Game 2. Sarah March drove in both runs with a double to left center following a Sierra Bertrand double and a Sarah Trifoso walk. Monmouth got a run back in the top of the sixth on Reyes' leadoff home run, but that was the Hawks' only scoring of the game as they fell, 2-1.
The Hawks wrap up the 2016 regular season next Sunday, when they play host to Saint Peter's. Prior to the 1 p.m. first pitch, Monmouth will honor its five seniors during Senior Day ceremonies.
