Babik, Kreuscher Twirl Gems in Sweep at Monmouth

Tuesday, March 28

West Long Branch, NJ

2 PM

Seton Hall University

16-10

Monmouth

4-19

Seton Hall

Monmouth

3/28/2023 6:29:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Game 1 Box (PDF)Game 2 Box (PDF)

West Long Branch, N.J. – Timely offense and stellar pitching led the way for the Pirates on Tuesday afternoon as they swept a doubleheader at Monmouth. Erin Howard (Skillman, N.J.) and Shelby Smith (Friendswood, Texas) each drove home three runs and Sydney Babik (Gilbert, Ariz.) went the distance in the circle in a 10-1 win in game one, while Kyra Kreuscher (Great River, N.Y.) tossed a complete game shutout in the 3-0 game two victory.

The wins make it five in a row for the Pirates, who are now 9-1 in their last 10 games, marking the program's best 10-game stretch since 2006.

Game 1: Seton Hall 10, Monmouth 1 (5)
How it Happened

After a quiet first inning for both offenses, the Pirate bats awoke in the second for three runs. Olivia Gilbert (Johnston, R.I.) drove home the first run on a sacrifice fly, followed by Abby Wingo (Portland, Ore.) scoring on a throwing error which made it 2-0. Howard would knock home her first run of the game on an RBI groundout to second to give the Pirates a 3-0 advantage.
The Hall would break the game open in the third. With two runners on and one out, Smith cracked a three-run home run to left field to double the lead to 6-0. Later in the inning, back-to-back singles gave Howard another RBI opportunity. She would come through with a single to center, scoring Gilbert from second to make it a 7-0 game.
After Monmouth got one run back in the third, the Pirates were able to extend their lead in the fifth. Howard drove in her third run of the game with an RBI single to center, where Wingo would also come around to score after a throwing error. Two batters later, Taylor Hill (Little Falls, N.J.) drove one to the wall in right field for an RBI double to bring the score to 10-1.
Babik got the start in the circle and had an efficient outing, allowing just five hits and one run while striking out five.

Notes & Numbers

This is Howard's third multi-hit game of the season and her first multi-RBI game on the campaign.
Smith is red-hot at the plate, going 7-for-13 (.538) with a home run and five RBI over her last four games.
Babik has now won each of her last four decisions.

Game 2: Seton Hall 3, Monmouth 0
How it Happened

The Pirates got runners aboard in each of the first three innings but were unable to score. That would change in the fourth, as Wingo doubled herself into scoring position and was brought home by an Andrea Perez (Corona, Calif.) double to make it 1-0 Pirates.
In the fifth, Kelsey Carr (Ridgewood, N.Y.) would make a productive out. A hard hit ball back to the pitcher allowed Hill to cross the plate, making it a 2-0 Seton Hall lead.
Gilbert would pad the lead in the sixth, as she hit the first pitch of the inning over the wall in left field for her sixth home run of the season.
Kreuscher made her second start of the season and was in command throughout. After shutting down the Hawks' offense through the first six innings, Monmouth put two runners on to send the tying run to the plate in the seventh. The freshman dug deep, getting a strikeout and a lineout to finish off the game.

Notes & Numbers

Both of Kreuscher's starts in the circle this season have been complete game shutouts. Her previous start was a one-hitter on Feb. 19 against IUPUI, a game in which Kreuscher was just four outs shy of a perfect game.
Wingo extended her hitting streak to 11 games, matching the longest such streak of her career.
Gilbert has hit four home runs over her last seven games and has now driven in a run in nine of her last 12 contests.
The Pirates improve to 9-1 over their last 10 games, the program's best 10-game stretch since 2006.

What's Next
Seton Hall hits the road again on Wednesday as it travels to Stony Brook for a single game against the Seawolves at 3 p.m.