(5 inn.)
#3 Siena Saints (22-24) – 1
#2 Monmouth Hawks (34-16) –  11
 
POUGHKEEPSIE, NY – A seven-run third inning propelled the Monmouth University softball team to a convincing win over Siena in the MAAC Tournament on Thursday, 11-1. Junior Kayla Rosado, junior Amber Wozniak, and freshman Danielle Dominik all hit home runs, while junior Sam Tomasetti, junior Deangie Jimenez, and senior Jasmine Higa each added at least one RBI. Sophomore Alyssa Irons extended her program record to 28 wins on the season, tossing all five innings while giving up just one run and four hits. The 11 runs are the most this season for the Hawks, who improve to 34-16 on the year. Monmouth will face the winner of #1 Marist and #4 Iona tomorrow at 11:00 AM.
 
NOTES AND QUOTES
 
"We played Siena recently, so we knew they would be tough. [Siena's Madysen Cossack] is the best hitter in the conference and was able to give them an early lead, but I was proud of how we responded. Our at bats were great throughout the game, and I thought the back-to-back home runs were huge for us. We've worked hard over the last two weeks tweaking some things. There is a long way to go, and it's only going to get tougher from here." - Monmouth head coach Shannon Salsburg
-Siena got on the board first with a solo home run from MAAC Player of Year Cossack in the top of the first.
-Freshman Katie Harrington led off the bottom of the second with a double, and Higa brought her home with a single up the middle.
-A Siena error on a hard hit ball by freshman Lindsey Baron scored Higa, giving Monmouth a 2-1 lead.
-Rosado led off the bottom of the third with a line drive home run to right field. The Hawks went back-to-back after a home run from Wozniak to right center to make it 4-1.
-After a double from junior Amanda Hopeck, a walk by Harrington, and a hit by pitch on Coreth, Jimenez made it 6-1 with a two-RBI double to left center. An RBI groundout from Higa made it five runs in the bottom of the third, extending the lead to 7-1.
-Baron walked in the next at bat, and later stole second. Siena's shortstop couldn't handle the throw on the steal, allowing Jimenez to score.
-Tomasetti's 100^th career hit was an RBI double down the right field line, scoring Baron to make it 9-1.
-Coreth ran out an infield single in the bottom of the fourth, and Dominik crushed her first career home run to left center, making it 11-1 Monmouth.
 
NUMBERS CRUNCH
-Irons is now 28-10 on the season with a 1.41 ERA. The previous program record for wins in a season was 22, set by Donna Witt in 1995. In 33 starts, she has 31 complete games, including 12 shutouts. Irons has struck out 218 batters in 243.1 innings pitched.
-Rosado and Wozniak each hit their 5^th home run of the season.
-Jimenez, Higa, and Dominik each tallied two RBI.
-Monmouth had 11 hits to Siena's four.
-Monmouth is 39-5 in MAAC games over the last two years including the postseason.
-Tomasetti is the third Monmouth player to secure 100 career hits this season (Rosado, Wozniak).
-Baron scored her 49^th run, moving into a tie for fourth all-time for a single season.  
 
UP NEXT
Monmouth will face #1 Marist or #4 Iona tomorrow at 11:00 AM. The winner advances to the MAAC Championship round.