Owls Split Doubleheader With Visiting Monmouth

Wednesday, April 18

Ambler, Pa.

5 p.m.

Temple University

20-18

Monmouth

17-15

Monmouth

Temple University

Photo by: Mitchell Leff

Owls Split Doubleheader With Visiting Monmouth

4.18.12 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Brooklin White throws a gem in game one victory

AMBLER, Pa. – Sophomore Brookline White won her 11th game of the season, tossing a beauty in a 3-0 win against visiting Monmouth in game one of a doubleheader with the Hawks on Wednesday afternoon. The visitors turned the tables for an 8-7 win in the nightcap at Ambler Field.

White (11-8) went the distance in the shutout, allowing just three hits while striking out a career-best nine batters and walking none.

The Temple (20-18) offense got behind its pitcher, scoring once in the first and twice in the third inning, and that would be all the team would need. The Owls got their first run when junior Ali Robinson, who was celebrating her birthday today, scored on an errant throw from the catcher as sophomore Sarah Prezioso stole second. Robinson was on third after leading off the inning with a triple.

TU used a two-out rally to score two more runs in the third. Senior Samantha Schoell started the rally with a double down the left field line. Prezioso followed with a single, and three-straight walks brought in the two insurance runs.

Monmouth (17-15) didn't have a baserunner the rest of the way, and the Cherry and White came away with the win, their fifth shutout of the year. Robinson finished the game 2-for-4, in the process collecting her 100th career hit.

The two teams combined for 19 hits and 15 runs in the nightcap that featured three doubles and three homeruns, and came down to the final at-bat.

The Hawks quickly jumped out to a 1-0 lead with two singles and a run scoring double in the top of the first.

Temple came back to take a 3-1 advantage in its half of the frame. Robinson led off the inning with a solo homer to left field. One out later, Prezioso and sophomore Stephanie Pasquale collected back-to-back singles to put two runners on. A fielding miscue by Monmouth on the next batter led to both runners scoring for the two-run cushion.

The visiting team tied it up in the second on Christine Scherr's two-run homerun over the right centerfield fence. The lead was shortlived, however, as TU came back to score one run on two hits in the bottom of the inning. Senior Christina Sykora, Robinson and Schoell each reached to load the bases, and with two outs, Pasquale drew another bases-loaded walk to force in a run.

The host team built a 6-3 advantage with two more in the fifth, but Monmouth took over in the sixth with five runs on two hits and two Temple errors. The two hits accounted for all of the runs with a two-run double from Scherr's bat and a three-run homer from Kaitie Schumacher.

The Owls entered their final at-bat trailing 8-6. After a quick out, the Cherry and White mounted a rally to make it interesting. Freshman Julia Kastner walked and Sykora collected her third hit of the game, a single to left field, bringing up the top of the order.

Robinson reached on a fielder's choice to second base, and despite getting Sykora out for the second of the inning, the Hawks allowed Kastner to score on the play to make it an 8-7 ball game. The next two batters walked, bringing up cleanup hitter Pasquale with the bases juiced. The catcher nearly snuck the ball through the right side, but Monmouth's second baseman made the play and the Hawks came away with the 8-7 win.

Alissa Schoelkopf (7-2) was the winning pitcher, giving up 10 hits in a complete-game effort while striking out four and walking five. Senior Capri Catalano started the game for Temple, going 3.0 innings, allowing five hits, three runs, one walk and striking out three. Freshman Jessica Mahoney (4-3) took the loss in 4.0 innings of work, giving up four hits, five runs, two walks and fanning one.

The Owls are 20-18 overall, marking the second back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time since 2003 and 2004. The squad gets back into Atlantic 10 action when it travels to Rhode Island for single games on Friday and Saturday, before heading to league-leading Massachusetts for a Sunday doubleheader.