FINAL SCORE (8 INNINGS)
Lehigh (10-14) – 8
Monmouth (10-17) – 9
WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. – Once trailing by six runs in the contest, the Monmouth University Softball Team came back to defeat the Lehigh Mountain Hawks in eight innings by a final score of 9-8 at MU Softball Park Wednesday afternoon.
Senior first baseman
Devin Coia played hero with a walk-off RBI single to left field in extra innings to give the Hawks their fourth home win of 2024 and 10
th overall.
Ana Rodriguez relieved starter
Billie Kerwood in the second inning facing a four-run deficit, and Lehigh tacked on two more runs in the third to push the lead to six before Monmouth had recorded a baserunner.
Abby Warner doubled down the left-field line to score MU's first run in the bottom half of the fourth, and then Kiley O'Rouke (3-for-4, 2 R) beat out an infield single to shortstop to tally the second run of the inning. Immediately following,
Tessa Thompson (2-for-3, 4 RBI) hit the first of her two two-run doubles to cut Lehigh's advantage down to just two. All of the runs in the inning came with two outs for Monmouth.
After
Lexi Castaneda led off the fifth with a bunt single,
Mackenzie Bloss later drove her in on a sacrifice fly for MU's fifth run of the game. Bloss then hit another sac fly in the seventh, nearly missing a game-winning homer to left, to score
Dani Dabroski (2-for-4, R) to even the game at six.
Lehigh scored a pair of runs in the eighth, but all four Hawks batters reached safely in the bottom of the inning. Thompson tied the game on a double to left, scoring
Bri Lawson and Gianna Scotti who pinch ran for Warner after she walked. Coia then followed with a sharp single over the head of the Mountain Hawks' leftfielder, winning the game for Monmouth in thrilling fashion.
QUOTE
"What a wild way to start our week. I am so proud of the kids. They're fight and grit are unmatched. It wasn't looking great after falling down by six, but we made all the right adjustments.
Ana came in and shut their offense down, which allowed us to get back into the game. We had great defense and big hits up and down the lineup. Tessa was roping balls are day, Mack was clutch, Dani stayed hot. Of course, Devin came through in the big moment, and Kiley had an awesome game, as well.
Getting offense throughout the lineup is huge as we head into a big CAA weekend series against Hofstra at home." – Head Coach
Shannon Salsburg
NOTES & NUMBERS
- Dabroski extended her hit streak to seven games.
- Simons is the first Hawk to reach 30 hits this year.
- Bloss leads the squad with 18 RBI.
- Thompson is now tied for the team lead with six two-baggers.
- O'Rourke notched her first multi-hit outing of the season.
- Rodriguez recorded her first win in a Hawks uniform.
- Lehigh leads the all-time series, 15-11.
- Monmouth left six runners on base on the day, while Lehigh left nine.
UP NEXT
The Hawks host CAA opponent Hofstra for a three-game series beginning Friday, March 22.
