Game One
Rider Broncs (12-15, 12-15 MAAC) – 2
Monmouth Hawks (21-6, 21-6 MAAC) – 3
 
Game Two
Rider Broncs (13-15, 13-15 MAAC) – 3
Monmouth Hawks (21-7, 21-7 MAAC) – 1
 
WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ – After earning its ninth straight win in the opener, the Monmouth University softball team fell to Rider in game two, 3-1, to split the day.
 
Senior pitcher Alyssa Irons (Rock Creek, OH/Jefferson Area/Hofstra) won her 13^th game of the season in the opener, tossing another complete game with seven strikeouts.
 
Freshman Julia Thuer (Middletown, DE/Smyrna) hit a two-run home run to give Monmouth the lead, and senior Erika Coreth (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township) hit the go-ahead solo home run in the bottom of the third.  
 
In game two, freshman Abby Warner (Toms River, NJ/Toms River North) hit an RBI double off the top of the wall to score Thuer, but the Broncs held on for the two-run win.
 
Sophomore Kylie Gletow (Flemington, NJ/Hunterdon Central Regional) produced another strong outing in the circle, allowing just one earned run in a complete game.  
 
Monmouth's record now stands at 21-7 (21-7 MAAC), and the team will host Fairfield for the last four games of the regular season this weekend.
 
NOTES AND QUOTES
 
"In game one, we came out and played solid softball. We got some big hits, and Alyssa did a good job of working out of a couple jams. In game two, our energy fell off a little, and it took us a while to recapture it. It was too little too late. Rider did a good job of taking advantage of our mistakes early in the game. I do like the fact that we battled back and had an opportunity to win at the end. At the end of the day, I'm really proud of the last seven days and the effort that the team has put in. We're going to take a day to rest and recover, and we'll get ourselves ready for Fairfield."  – Monmouth head coach Shannon Salsburg
 
-In game one, senior Tommi Stowers led off the bottom of the second with a single through the left side. Thuer then gave Monmouth the lead with a two-run home run.
-Rider answered in the top of the third, tying the game at 2-2. The Broncs scored on an RBI single and a wild pitch.
-With one out in the bottom of the third, Coreth hit a line drive home run to put the Hawks ahead 3-2.
-Irons shut down Rider in the final four innings to give Monmouth its ninth straight victory.
 
-In game two, Rider took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first on a throwing error.
-The Broncs extended their lead to 2-0 in the top of the fourth with an RBI single, and added another run in the fifth with another RBI single.
-With one out in the bottom of the sixth, Thuer reached on a hard-hit infield single. Two batters later, Warner came inches away from a home run, sending her home on an RBI double.
-The Hawks put runners on first and third with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, but Rider made a diving catch in left field to end the game.
 
NUMBERS CRUNCH
-Irons is now 50-21 in her Monmouth career with a 1.69 ERA. She has 56 complete games and 384 strikeouts.
-Gletow lowered her season ERA to 2.97.
-Thuer went 3-for-5 on the day with a home run, a double, two RBI, and two runs.
-Coreth now leads the team with five home runs.
-Harrington leads the team in batting average at .435 (37-for-85).
-The Hawks lead the MAAC with 21 total wins and a .750 win percentage.  
 
UP NEXT
Monmouth will host Fairfield for doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday.