POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – Monmouth scored five runs in the game's first three innings sophomore Amanda Riley threw 2.1 innings of scoreless relief as the fourth-seeded Hawks closed the door on the Canisius softball season, posting a 6-3 win in an elimination game Friday afternoon at Gartland Field on the campus of Marist College. With the win, Monmouth (28-20) advances to meet sixth-seeded Quinnipiac in the elimination bracket final, while the Golden Griffins see their season end with a 23-32 overall record.
The Hawks scored three times in the top-half of the first, taking advantage of two hits and a Canisius fielding error, and then Monmouth added on two more runs in the third frame on a pair of sacrifice flies. Canisius got on the board with three runs in the home-half of the fourth, with sophomore Moriah Harris starting the rally with a lead-off homer to the gap in right centerfield. For Harris, it was her seventh homer of the season.
Senior Meghan Cuda drew a two out walk in the fourth to keep the Griffs alive, and she later scored on an RBI-double to the base of the fence off the bat of freshman Denver Keller. Keller advanced to third on a wild pitch and then scored the Blue and Gold's third and final run moments later on another wild pitch by Monmouth starter Sydney Underhill.
Underhill earned the win in the circle, her 17th of the season, after she threw 4.1 innings and allowed three runs on two hits to go with four strikeouts and four walks. Riley came into the game with a runner on and one out in the fifth, and she ended up picking up her fifth save of the season after she held Canisius scoreless on one hit in 2.2 innings of work. Riley provided the Hawks with an insurance run in the sixth innings as well, as she jacked her second homer of the season off Canisius reliever Erika Mackie over the fence in left center.
Sophomore Madi Weathers took the loss for the Blue and Gold after she allowed five runs, four earned, on five hits in four innings of action. Mackie threw the game's final three frames for Canisius and allowed one run on two hits.
"We got down early when they scored those five runs, but we kept battling," Canisius head coach Kim Griffin said. "I give our kids credit, they never backed down, they kept their heads up and they kept grinding. After the game, we talked about what our seniors leave this program, everything from the way they played to the way they worked in the classroom. I feel bad for that group because it is over, but our seniors were the driving force in keeping us going this season and we'll continue to use those lessons as a program moving forward."
The loss marks the end of the careers for three Canisius seniors - Cuda, Tori Nappo and Alexis Roman. The Griffs will return seven regular starters, three pitchers and 11 letterwinners to the roster in 2017.
