North Dakota St. (17-7) – 5
Monmouth (8-12) – 2
 
(8 inn.)
Monmouth (8-13) – 2
Loyola Marymount (15-16-1) - 3
 
 
LOS ANGELES, CA – In the final day of the Loyola Marymount Tournament, the Monmouth University softball team fell to North Dakota State, 5-2, before falling to the hosts in eight innings, 3-2. In game one, all seven runs were scored in the first inning. Sophomore pitcher Megan Stauffer settled in after that, tossing six scoreless innings while giving up just three hits. Senior Katie Baron continued her early season tear, hitting an RBI double and then scoring on sophomore Amber Wozniak's RBI single. In game two, senior Amanda Riley tossed 7.1 innings, giving up just three hits and two earned runs while striking out five batters. Freshman Katie Harrington picked up her first career RBI in the loss on a double, while sophomore Sam Tomasetti also hit an RBI double. The Hawks dropped to 8-13 on the season, and will travel to Baltimore on Friday to face UMBC and Binghamton.  
 
NOTES
"Overall, it was a disappointing day but we can take some positives away from it. In game one, we put ourselves in too much of a hole, but we played really solid the rest of the way. In game two, we had some great pitching and defense. Loyola Marymount just got the hit we couldn't come up with. At the end of the day, this trip has really helped us grow, and we'll be ready to start the next phase of the season." – Monmouth head coach Shannon Salsburg
-North Dakota State scored five runs in the top of the first to take the early lead, including a three-RBI single.
-The Hawks cut that deficit in the bottom of the first. Tomasetti registered a leadoff walk, and Baron brought her home with an RBI double.
-After a groundout that sent Baron to third, Wozniak ripped a single to third base to score Baron.
-That would be all of the scoring in the contest, as the Bison eventually took the 5-2 win.
-In game two, Monmouth opened up the scoring in the top of the second. Junior Jasmine Higa singled down the right field line with one out, and advanced to second on a groundout. With two outs, Harrington doubled to left field, scoring Higa.
-Tomasetti continued her strong week, bringing home Harrington with an RBI double to left center.
-Loyola Marymount hit a solo home run in the bottom of the second, making it 2-1. Another solo home run in the bottom of the fifth tied the game at 2.
-Neither team could cross a run in the final two innings, so the game went to extras. Monmouth threatened in the top of the eighth, putting a runner on third with two outs, but could not capitalize.
-In the bottom of the eighth, Loyola Marymount hit an RBI double to right center to end the game.

NUMBERS CRUNCH
-In seven games this week, Baron batted an astounding .476 (10-for-21). She picked up six RBI and also launched her team-leading sixth home run of the season against LMU on Wednesday.
-In four starts this week, Riley registered a 2-2 record with a 2.22 ERA. She struck out 30 batters in 28.1 innings.
-Tomasetti and Higa each registered two hits today along with a run.
-Riley increased her program record to 519 career strikeouts (the previous record was 497).

UP NEXT
The Hawks return to the east coast for two games in Baltimore on Friday. Monmouth will face UMBC at 12:00 PM and Binghamton at 2:30 PM.