Game One (5 Innings)
Monmouth (0-8) - 0
Saint Joseph's (3-7) – 9

Game Two
Monmouth (0-9) - 1
East Carolina (14-3) – 2
 
GREENVILLE, NC – Senior Kylie Gletow struck out seven batters over six innings versus ECU, but the Monmouth University softball team lost both its games on day one of the Pirate Invitational at Max R. Joyner Family Stadium in Greenville, NC.

After losing 9-0 in five innings to Saint Joseph's, the Hawks gave the host-Pirates a battle until the final pitch. The Hawks played spectacular defense to hold ECU under half of their season run average. Eve Serrato set the tone with a diving play in the first inning, and Riley Riendeau made a few big plays in key spots at the hot corner, including a 5-3 double play to get out of the second inning.
 
Gletow set a new season high in strikeouts on 91 pitches, with her only blemish coming via a two-out, two-run single in the third. From that point, she racked up six of her seven total punchouts. Bri Lawson (3-for-3, 3 1B) saw the ball well, notching her first career three-hit game.

In the seventh, Emily Spencer smoked a pinch-hit, RBI double to right center with two outs to cut into the Pirates lead, 2-1, however, ECU was able to leave the tying run stranded in scoring position.

NOTES & QUOTES
"It was a tale of two games. In game one, we just didn't rebound from a poor start. In game two, Kylie set the tone in the circle and the team responded. We came up a little short, but that style of play can win games. We will continue to fight tomorrow." – Head Coach Shannon Salsburg
 
- Emily Spencer now has six career doubles.
- Freshman Bri Lawson leads the team with a .400 batting average.
- Kylie Gletow leads Monmouth with 24.0 innings pitched on the season.
- MU held ECU to just two runs, which is almost three below the Pirates' season average.
- The Hawks are now 3-1 versus the Saint Joe's all-time.
 
UP NEXT
The Hawks will play back-to-back games on day two of the Pirate Invitational tomorrow, Saturday, March 4. First pitch versus Maryland is set for 10:00 a.m., and a rematch against ECU (approx. 12:30 p.m.) will follow.