Seventh Inning Rally Leads Rutgers Softball Over Monmouth, 5-3

Thursday, April 22

West Long Branch, N.J.

Rutgers University

16-26

Monmouth

20-14

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Rutgers	0	0	1	0	1	0	3	5	9	1
Monmouth	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	3	6	4

Seventh Inning Rally Leads Rutgers Softball Over Monmouth, 5-3

Apr 22 | Softball

Box Score

WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. (April 22, 2010) –Rutgers softball (16-26) used a seventh inning rally to edge Monmouth (20-14) by a score of 5-3 at the MU Softball Park Thursday, April 22. Senior Nicole Lindley (Cicero, N.Y.) earned the win for the Scarlet Knights, giving up just one hit in two scoreless innings, striking out three. She moves to 8-14 on the season. 

RU got on the board in the third, as sophomore Mikelyn Messina (Prospect, Conn.) pushed the ball through the right side with two outs to get on first. Junior Jen Meinheit (Anaheim Hills, Calif.) bunted for a single to put runners on first and second and sophomore Brittney Lindley (Cicero, N.Y.) hit a hard ball to second and hustled down the line, forcing the second baseman into an error and scoring a run.

The Hawks took back the lead in the bottom of the inning with three runs on two hits, highlighted by a two run RBI double by Kayla Weisler.

Rutgers added one to its score in the fifth, as Meinheit doubled to deep left center and Brittney Lindley walked to put runners on first and second. Junior Mandy Craig (Manassas, Va.) hit the ball to the MU shortstop, who pulled the first baseman off the bag, allowing a run to score and making the game 3-2.

RU threatened in the sixth, as freshman Jen Harabedian (Flemington, N.J.) notched a two-out single to right field. JuniorMickenzie Alden (Spokane, Wash.) walked to put runners on first and second. Freshman Kaci Madden (Saratoga, N.Y.) singled through the left side, but Harabedian tried to score and the left fielder Christine Scherr nabbed her at home.

Brittney Lindley walked with two outs in the top of the seventh and Craig moved her over with a single through the right side to put runners on first and second. Sophomore Kylee Bishop (Tacoma, Wash.) singled to left field, scoring Lindley and tying the score. Freshman Ashley Bragg (Middletown, Del.) added two more on a bloop single to left center, giving the Scarlet Knights a 5-3 advantage it would not relinquish.   

Freshman Abbey Houston (New Egypt, N.J.) toed the rubber for RU, allowing three runs on three hits in three innings with two strikeouts. Sophomore Holly Johnson (Cheektowaga, N.Y.) came in for relief, pitching two innings and giving up two hits, fanning one.

Former Rutgers standout and current Monmouth women’s soccer assistant coach Dominique Esposito threw out the first pitch.

The Scarlet Knights get back to BIG EAST action, as the squad faces Providence in a three-game series Saturday and Sunday, April 24-25. Saturday’s doubleheader begins at noon and is part of the Rutgers Day festivities.