The softball team was swept by Northeast Conference (NEC) opponent Bryant on Saturday. The Bulldogs beat Monmouth 7-4 in the first game and 5-4 in the second in Smithfield, Rhode Island.
In game one, the Hawks took a 2-1 lead in the top of the third. Alicia Desanto singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch. After an out, Desanto advanced to third on another wild pitch. Tish Derer doubled to center, bringing Desanto home. Kaitie Schumacher came up next and singled to knock in Derer.
The Blue and White added another two runs in the fourth. Chelsea Paprocki led the inning off with a solo home run. After a couple outs, Derer singled to shortstop. Schumacher doubled to center and Derer scored.
Derer and Schumacher combined for six hits, three RBIs and two runs in the game. Kayla Weiser and Desanto added two hits each.
Alissa Schoelkopf took the loss and her record fell to 7-3 in 2012. She pitched five and one-third innings, allowing eight hits, seven runs (six earned) and walked two. She had five strikeouts.
In game two, the Hawks tied the game at with a four-run sixth inning. Schumacher doubled to start the inning. Weiser singled to put runner on the corners for Vanessa Cardoza. The freshman singled to shortstop and Schumacher scored to give the Hawks their first run of the day. Colleen Kelly flied out next and both runners moved up a base. Kayleena Flores stepped up with runners on second and third and one out. A wild pitch brought Weiser home and moved Cardoza to third. Flores singled but was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double, Cardoza scored.
With two outs and the bases empty, the Hawks generated enough offense to tie the game. Paprocki was hit by a pitch, followed by Desanto’s single. Christine Scherr singled next to bring Paprocki home and tie the game at four.
Schoelkopf came in to pitch the bottom of the sixth and she took the loss again. She allowed a home run to Lauren Guy to give the Bulldogs a 5-4 lead. That ended up being the final score. Schoelkopf fell to 7-4 on the season. In one inning, she allowed one hit, one run and struck out two.
Lauren Sulick pitched three innings, allowing eight hits and four runs, all earned. She struck out one and walked zero.
The Hawks traveled to New Britain, Connecticut on Sunday for a NEC double header against Central Connecticut State.
The Hawks lost the first game 8-5, and the second was postponed.
The Blue and White took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning against the Blue Devils. Scherr doubled to center to start the game. Derer grounded out and moved Scherr to third. Schumacher stepped up next and homered to left field.
“As of today, Kaitie has been doing well, that’s why I moved her to the number three spot,” said head coach Louie Berndt. “She is a competitor!”
The Hawks didn’t score again until the top of the seventh.
Flores and Cardoza singled to start the seventh. Paprocki doubled to knock in Flores. Descanto singled next to knock in Cardoza and move Paprocki to third. Paprocki scored on a fielding error later in the inning.
Schoelkopf took her third loss of the weekend, putting her at 7-5. She pitched four innings, allowing four hits and three runs. She struck out one and walked five.
The Blue and White need to start playing better if they want the 2012 season to be successful.
“As I have always said, we need to start in the circle. Our pitchers have the ability to go out and dominate the opposing hitters. When your pitchers are doing their job then your defense has to play behind them,” said Berndt. “Our hitters have been pretty consistent throughout the season but we haven’t been consistent on the mound or on defense. That needs to be better.”
MU fell to 17-18 (7-8) on the season with the three losses this weekend.
PHOTO COURTESY of MU Photography
