Published: March 21, 2007
WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. – The St. John’s softball team was edged
by Monmouth University in a tightly contested 6-5, nine inning
game. The Red Storm and the Hawks were not able to get a complete
second game in before the contest was called due to light.
Monmouth scored its first run in the bottom of the second inning
off of Kara O’Dell single to right field. O’Dell came across the
plate a batter later when Jessica Nicola dropped one into left
field, helping the Hawks take a 2-0 lead.
Senior Tami Hill got things started with a hit
down the right field line as the leadoff in the top of the third.
She advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt from
Tiffany D’Alessandro and third on a wild pitch. A
slow-roller to first base by Bionka King allowed
Hill to score St. John’s first run of the day.
Hill stayed hot and drove in the tying run in the fourth inning.
Spring Montgomery worked a walk to start the frame
and Lisa Geer had a hard hit single to left field
to put runners on first and second. Hill’s double was just short of
an over the fence home run and evened up the game, 2-2.
The Red Storm took the lead in the top of the fifth inning when
Loren Anguiano blasted a solo-home run over the
fence. Brandy Reyes followed up with a single to
left field and Montgomery chased the Hawks starting pitcher, Angela
Rand, from the game with a double to center field. Reyes crossed
the plate on fouled out, putting the Red Storm up 4-2.
The Hawks battled back in the sixth inning, tying the game off
of back-to-back doubles. Jess Nicola’s two-RBI double tied the
game, 4-4.
The two team’s took the game into the ninth inning, with Red
Storm taking a 5-4 lead into the bottom of the side after
Shauntaine Harris’s sacrifice fly. The game ended
when the Hawk’s best hitter, Heather Gordon, singled deep to left
field.
Senior pitcher Kim Lerch went the distance in
8.2 innings, striking out five and allowing four earned runs.