Sophomore catcher Carolann Lubach (Langley, WA) hit a two-run home run (home run swing pictured at right), her first of the season, and Tournament Most Outstanding Player Kayleigh Lotti (South Attleboro, MA) threw a six-hitter with 11 strikeouts as Hofstra won its 10th straight conference tournament 3-1 over Georgia State on Saturday.

The win was Hofstra's 15th in a row and improves its record to 40-13 heading into the NCAA Tournament. The Pride has now won all six CAA Softball Championships since the league was founded in 2002, after winning its final four titles as members of the America East from 1998-2001. Hofstra also improved to 22-1 at home this season and 62-6 all-time at home against CAA opponents (including 16-1 in CAA Tournament play). Georgia State sees its season end at 34-30.

Lubach provided Lotti all the offense she would need when she hit a two-rum homer with two outs in the third inning. Sophomore center fielder Erika Bernstein (Somerville, NJ) reached on a slap single with two outs, and Lubach followed with a line drive over the fence for her first homer of the season and third of her career. She also homered in the seventh inning of last year's CAA championship game against Georgia State (a 7-3 Hofstra victory).

The Pride picked up an insurance run in the fifth inning, as senior right fielder Ashley Lane (Westbury, NY) hit a two-out RBI single to score Bernstein from second base. Sophomore second baseman Casey Fee (Long Beach, NY) had a one-out bunt single and Bernstein followed with her second slap hit of the day. After Lubach grounded into a fielder's choice to shortstop, Lane followed with a line drive single up the middle to stretch the lead to 3-0.

Georgia State got the run right back in the top of the sixth inning as freshman designated player Lily Skelton (McDonough, GA) led off with a solo homer down the left field line to spoil Lotti's shutout bid. Lotti bounced back to strike the next two hitters out, and a line drive to Fee at second ended the inning. Georgia State first baseman Jessica Gowin (Cohutta, GA) doubled to lead off the seventh to bring the tying run to the plate, but Lotti closed out the game with back-to-back strikeouts, her 10th and 11th of the game, to give the Pride the victory.

Lotti won her 16th straight decision, including all three of the Pride's victories in the CAA Tournament, to improve to 22-4 on the year. She also passed the 300-strikeout mark in the fifth inning, making her the first player in school history to strike out 300 batters in a season (she now has 304). She had at least 10 strikeouts in all three games in the CAA Tournament, and has reached double figures in strikeouts 14 times this season, with the Pride going a perfect 14-0 in those contests.

Lotti was joined on the All-Tournament team for Hofstra, by Lubach, Lane and junior shortstop Pam Dreslinski (Kingsville, OH), who had two RBI in the Pride's 3-2 win over UNC Wilmington on the first day of the tournament. Madi Gore (Acworth, GA) allowed six hits to take the loss for Georgia State, falling to 20-12 on the season, but also earned a spot on the All-Tournament team, along with third baseman Danielle Roddy (Canton, GA) and second baseman Mary Kathryn Branan (Alpharetta, GA).

Hofstra will find out its site and opponent for the NCAA Regionals when the selections are announced on Sunday at 3 p.m. on ESPNews. The Pride will be making its fifth straight NCAA appearance and eighth in the last nine years (it did not go in 2002, when the CAA did not have an automatic bid).

Thursday, May 10
Game 1 - #1 Hofstra 3, #4 UNC Wilmington 2

Game 2 - #3 Georgia State 1, #2 James Madison 0

Friday, May 11

Game 3 - James Madison 11, UNC Wilmington 3

Game 4 - Hofstra 1, Georgia State 0

Game 5 - Georgia State 2, James Madison 1

Saturday, May 12 (Championship Round)

Game 6 - Hofstra 3, Georgia State 1

2007 CAA All-Tournament Team
Kayleigh Lotti, P - Hofstra (Most Outstanding Player)
Carolann Lubach, C - Hofstra

Ashley Lane, RF- Hofstra
Pam Dreslinski, SS - Hofstra

Madi Gore, P - Georgia State
Mary Kathryn Branan, 2B - Georgia State

Danielle Roddy, 3B - Georgia State
Carley Hughes, C - UNC Wilmington

Krista Searle, 3B - UNC Wilmington

Meredith Felts, P - James Madison

Katie George, SS - James Madison