March 9, 2006
27th-ranked Monarchs record sweep on day three of Sun West Tournament
Methodist improves to 12-2 overall with victories over SUNYIT, DeSales

ORANGE, Calif. – After splitting their first four games at the Sun West Tournament, the Methodist Monarch softball team recorded a two-game sweep on Thursday. The Monarchs opened with a 5-0 shutout victory over New York Tech, followed by a 4-2 victory over DeSales. Methodist, the 27th-ranked team in Division III, improves to 12-2 overall.

In the first game against New York Tech, the combination of Mara Brown and Jennifer Brophy combined on a three-hitter for Methodist. Brown worked six scoreless innings, allowing three hits with four strikeouts, while Brophy worked a scoreless seventh. Methodist, meanwhile, scored a run the second, three in the third and one more in the sixth.

Krystal Harris started the Monarch scoring with an RBI single in the second to give Methodist at 1-0 lead, and then LaTiana Headen pounded a two-run home run in the third to give the Monarchs a 4-0 lead. In the sixth, freshman Caline Daun drilled an RBI double, scoring Shantell Dustin.

Daun went 2-for-3 for the Monarchs in the first game.

All the scoring in Methodist’s victory over DeSales came in the sixth inning. Methodist scored four in the top of the inning, and DeSales answered with two in the bottom half.

Kristen Kennedy, Sara Poling and Rebekah Kelly each had RBI singles for the Monarchs in the sixth, and Poling also scored on a wild pitch.

Jessica Hutzul was the winning pitcher for Methodist, allowing five hits and two runs in five innings with five strikeouts. Jennifer Sorensen worked the final two innings to record the save. Offensively, Kennedy went 2-for-2 for the Monarchs, while Lisa Jackson went 2-for-4.

Methodist is in action in the Sun West Tournament on Friday, playing Central at 3:30 p.m. (PST) and Harris-Stowe at 5:45 p.m. (PST).