Monmouth Wins 2018 MAAC Softball Title
No. 1 Monmouth University - 5 | No. 2 Fairfield University - 1
MAAC Softball Championship | Championship Final
MU Softball Park | West Long Branch, NJ
Monmouth (32-14) scored all five runs in the bottom of the fifth to erase a 1-0 Fairfield (27-26) lead to win the 2018 MAAC Softball Championship. Monmouth had two hits over the first four innings off Fairfield's Lauryn Rhinehart.
Monmouth Notes
It is the first MAAC Softball Championship for Monmouth.
The Hawks hit a pair of homers during their five-run fifth. Both were two-run shots.
Amanda Riley (21-5) pitched a complete game. The senior allowed one run and scattered three hits and was named MVP.
Alex Holzman's homer was her second of the championship-both came against Fairfield.
Sam Tomasetti gave Monmouth a 2-1 lead when she started the fifth-inning rally with a two-run shot down the left field line.
Monmouth secures the MAAC's automatic berth into the NCAA Championship. The selection show for the 2018 NCAA Softball Championship is Sunday, May 12 at 10 p.m. on ESPN2.
Fairfield Notes
Kate Robinson's homer in the fourth made it 1-0 Fairfield. It was her second of the season.
Fairfield had second and third and one out in the top fifth but stranded both after a strikeout and a groundout ended the frame.
Lauryn Rhinehart (9-7) pitched 5.2 innings and allowed five runs-two earned-while striking out three.
| All-Tournament Team |
| Adriana Gambino |
Manhattan |
| Briana Matazinsky |
Manhattan |
| Claire Oberdorf |
Marist |
| Nicole Teague |
Marist |
| Lauryn Rhinehart |
Fairfield |
| Kate Robinson |
Fairfield |
| Rachel Sieber |
Fairfield |
| Alex Holzman |
Monmouth |
| Amanda Riley |
Monmouth |
| Sam Tomasetti |
Monmouth |
| Amber Wozniak |
Monmouth |
| Most Valuable Player |
| Amanda Riley |
Monmouth |