Tallahassee, Fla. - Sophomore pitcher Olivia Galati (West Babylon, N.Y.) threw an abbreviated no-hitter with 10 strikeouts, and had two RBI as part of a 16-run explosion, as the Hofstra Softball team opened the 2011 season with a 16-0 win over UNC Greensboro at the Seminole Kickoff Classic at Florida State University on Friday evening.
In the Pride's second game of the day, Galati had a two-run double in the top of the fourth inning to put Hofstra in front 2-1, and junior pitcher Erin Wade (Taunton, Mass.) struck out a career-high 10 as Hofstra improved to 2-0 with a 4-1 win over St. John's. Both UNC Greensboro and St. John's fall to 1-1 after defeating No. 23 Florida State earlier in the day.
The no-hitter was the third of Galati's young career, including one in the Colonial Athletic Association championship game last year against Georgia State. She allowed only one base runner on a third inning walk against UNC Greensboro. It was also Hofstra's third no-hitter on opening day in the last six years, as former pitcher Kayleigh Lotti did it twice (2006, 2007).
Hofstra scored its first two runs in the first inning without a hit, as junior second baseman Jess Hirschbuhl (Jamison, Pa.) was hit by a pitch and senior first baseman Sara Michalowski (Philadelphia, Pa.) followed with a walk. A throwing error allowed Hirschbuhl to score, and Galati followed with an RBI groundout.
After sophomore right fielder Tessa Ziemba (Wilmington, Del.) was hit by a pitch, sophomore left fielder Becca Bigler followed with the Pride's first hit to score another run and increase the lead to3-0. A passed ball made it 4-0 and junior center fielder Michelle Lavagnino (Fredericksburg, Va.) had an RBI single to make the score 5-0.
The third inning started in similar fashion as Galati was hit by a pitch, Ziemba walked and Bigler reached on an error to load the bases with nobody out. Senior third baseman (Smithtown, N.Y.) then singled to center field for an RBI to make the score 6-0 and another error off the bat of Lavagnino made it 7-0. Senior shortstop Trisha Dreslinski (Kingsville, Ohio) kept the roll going with an RBI single up the middle to stretch the lead to 8-0, and Hirschbuhl's RBI single made it 9-0. One out later, senior catcher Laura Valentino (Smithtown, N.Y.) tacked on a two-run single to push the lead to double digits. Galati followed with an RBI double, the first extra-base hit of the year for the Pride.
Valentino and Ziemba each added two-run singles with two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning to push the lead up to 16-0, giving Hofstra its highest scoring output since a 19-0 win over UNC Wilmington in the 2006 CAA Tournament. The game was halted in the fifth inning after Galati retired the side in order, due to the eight-run rule.
Valentino was 2-for-4 with four RBI, Thorn finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI, and Galati, Ziemba and Lavagnino each had two RBI. All nine starters scored a run, and eight of the nine had at least one RBI, with Michalowski, who has a team-high 83 career RBI, the only exception.
In the second game, Wade started out like she might go for a no-hitter of her own, retiring the first eight batters, including five by strikeout. With two outs in the third, though, she hit a batter and then allowed a single up the middle. Pinch-hitter Julia Sanchez then pulled a single to right field to score a run and give the Red Storm a 1-0 lead.
Hofstra responded immediately, as Michalowski led off with a single in the top of the fourth, and Valentino drew a walk on a full count to put two on and nobody out. Galati then ripped a double to center field to score both runners and give Hofstra its first lead of the game. Ziemba followed with an RBI double of her own to stretch the lead to 3-1, and Bigler added an RBI single to make the score 4-1.
St. John's led off the seventh inning with a double from third baseman Jackie Reed. After Wade struck out her tenth batter of the game, left fielder Fachon Jones coaxed a walk, Wade's first of the game, to put runners on first and second and one out. Chelsea Durning then came back from an 0-2 count for another walk to load the bases.
Michalowski came on in relief for her first pitching appearance since her sophomore year (2009) after she played third base exclusively last season. She ran the count full to Sanchez, before getting her to line into a double play to Dreslinski at shortstop to end the threat and improve the Pride's record to 2-0.
Ziemba was 2-for-2 with a double and a walk at the plate for the Pride, while Galati was 1-for-2 with two RBI, giving her four RBI and a no-hitter on opening day. Last year as a freshman, she had a similar opening day, driving home the tying run with two outs in the seventh in an extra-inning win over North Dakota State and then picking up a complete game four-hit win with 11 strikeouts in a 2-1 victory over North Carolina State at the University of South Florida's tournament.
Earlier on Friday, UNC Greensboro upset No. 23 Florida State 1-0 in nine innings (on a no-hitter of its own), while St. John's knocked off the Seminoles 11-5. Hofstra is guaranteed to finish in first in pool play at the Seminole Kickoff Classic, even if it loses to Florida State tomorrow (since it would have the head-to-head tiebreaker with the UNC Greensboro-St. John's winner at 2-1).
Florida State is guaranteed to finish in fourth, which means that Hofstra will play the Seminoles twice tomorrow (once in pool play, once in the first game of bracket play) before the championship/consolation round on Sunday.
Krista ThornTo follow all of the action at the Seminole Kickoff Classic, go to the following link:
http://www.seminoles.com/sports/w-softbl/seminoleclassic11.html
