(5 inn.)
Monmouth (7-9) – 1
#22 Long Beach State (20-7) - 9
 
LONG BEACH, CA – After the Hawks scored their first run in the top of the fifth to make it 6-1, #22 Long Beach State totaled three runs in the bottom half of the inning to defeat the Monmouth University softball team, 9-1. Senior Katie Baron gave Monmouth its lone run, hitting an RBI double to right field to score senior Chloe Howerth. Freshman Lilly Robles pitched 3.1 innings, giving up four earned runs while striking out one batter. Robles kept Long Beach State off the board in the second and third innings. The Hawks drop to 7-9 on the season, and will compete in the Loyola Marymount Tournament this weekend.
 
NOTES
-Long Beach State opened up the scoring in the first inning, hitting an RBI single to take the 1-0 lead.
-In the bottom of the fourth, Long Beach State scored five runs to increase the lead to 6-0.
-Sophomore Sam Tomasetti walked to open the fifth inning, but was thrown out at second after Howerth hit into a fielder's choice.
-Baron sent Howerth home with the RBI double to right field. It was Baron's third double of the season, and team-leading 16^th RBI.
-Long Beach State ended the game in the bottom of the fifth, taking the eight-run lead with three runs in the frame.
 
NUMBERS CRUNCH
-Baron leads the team with a .423 batting average. She also leads the team with six home runs and 22 hits. Baron has notched at least one hit in six consecutive games.
-Senior Alex Holzman and freshman Kayla Rosado registered Monmouth's other two hits.
-Sophomore Megan Stauffer pitched 1.1 innings, giving up three earned runs.
-Howerth leads the team with 13 runs.
 
UP NEXT
The Hawks will play Colgate and North Dakota State tomorrow, before taking on Colgate on Saturday, and North Dakota and Loyola Marymount on Sunday.