Monmouth softball earned a series sweep over Towson this past weekend, taking all three games against the Tigers on their home field. The sweep was Monmouth’s first over a CAA opponent since North Carolina A&T in March of 2025.
Freshman pitcher Carah Sumpter led the way for the Hawks, getting four hits in eleven at-bats (ABs) including a home run throughout the weekend and pitching a complete game while only giving up one earned run in the second game of the series.
In the first game of the series on Friday, the Hawks took a 5-3 victory despite a late rally from Towson. The Hawks opened up a 5-0 lead, but Towson scored three runs in the final two innings to make the final score a little more respectable. Senior third baseman Mackenzie Bloss, senior infielder Bri Lawson, and Sumpter all had multihit games, and redshirt senior pitcher Alissa Eimont tossed a complete game, only allowing two earned runs.
On Saturday, the Hawks took their second straight victory in a game they also never trailed in. They took a 2-0 lead in the top of the third and never looked back, maintaining control and earning a 6-3 victory. Sophomore first baseman Ella Stevinson and Lawson each had multihit games, and in a game that Sumpter started on the mound, she also hit a home run in the fourth inning while tossing a complete game and only allowing one earned run.
With two wins already under their belt, the Hawks completed the series sweep on Sunday with a late rally. Trailing 1-0 for most of the game, the Hawks scored three runs in the final two innings just like Towson did on Friday. However, these runs actually changed the result of the game. The first two runs that the Hawks scored were a result of two errors by Towson. The third run came courtesy of a sacrifice fly from Sumpter.
Freshman center fielder Dominique Lopez and senior catcher Kaitlynn Place were the two hawks that earned multihit games, while Eimont tossed her second complete game of the series, this time only giving up one run and striking out five.
Following the series sweep, Sumpter was named the CAA Co-Rookie of the Week for her performance over the course of the weekend, along with UNC Wilmington’s Emily Whitwell.
With the sweep, Monmouth now finds themselves in a three-way tie for second in the CAA North division, along with Drexel and Stony Brook. Each team currently sits at 8-10 in the standings. Whichever team finishes second in the CAA North division will get an automatic berth to the CAA Tournament.
The Hawks have two CAA series’ remaining, one against the team with the worst record in the CAA in North Carolina A&T (3-15), and one against the team with the best record in the CAA in Hofstra (18-3). The Hawks certainly need to win a multitude of these remaining games in order to secure a spot in the CAA Tournament.
The Hawks will return to action on Wednesday, April 22 for a non-conference doubleheader on the road against Marist before returning home to host the aforementioned North Carolina A&T Aggies this weekend for a crucial three-game set.
