SB: Galati Strikes Out 17 As Hofstra Edges Michigan State

3/12/2011 4:14:00 AM

Boca Raton, Fla. - Sophomore pitcher Olivia Galati (West Babylon, N.Y.) struck out 17 and walked none as Hofstra earned a 3-2, nine-inning win over Michigan State in its second game of the Florida Atlantic Invitational on Friday evening.

The win improves Hofstra's record to 8-7 on the young season, including 2-0 at the Florida Atlantic Invitational, while Michigan State slips to 11-10.

Galati appeared to be on her way to an easy win as she allowed only one hit through five innings as the Pride led 2-0. However, after a two-out single, Michigan State shortstop Lindsey Hansen tied the score with a two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth.

After neither team scored in the seventh, the game went to the international tiebreaker rule, with a runner placed on second to start the inning, and the Pride was unable to get the runner home in the top half of the eighth. Michigan State nearly scored in the bottom half on a pinch-hit single from Mary Kat DiVirgilio, but Hofstra senior shortstop Trisha Dreslinski (Kingsville, Ohio) got to the ball behind second and threw out the potential winning run at the plate.

Hofstra took a 3-2 lead in the top of the ninth inning on a one-out RBI single from junior second baseman Jess Hirschbuhl (Jamison, Pa.), but missed a chance to extend the lead as it left runners on second and third. However, Galati struck out the first batter, then got Hansen to hit the ball back to the circle and threw out the lead runner to leave only a runner on first and two outs. She then came back with her 17th strikeout of the day to end it, matching her career high for strikeouts in a game in the process.

With the game tied 0-0 in the top of the fifth, sophomore left fielder Becca Bigler (Bainbridge, Pa.) reached on a one-out single and one out later, freshman Jess Zeilman (Newfield, N.J.) ripped an RBI double to plate the game's first run. Zeilman also had a pinch hit single in the Pride's first game of the day against Middle Tennessee State, which was her first collegiate plate appearance. Sophomore center fielder Rachael Senatore (Sparta, N.J.) then followed with an RBI single up the middle to push the lead to 2-0.

Galati allowed her first hit on a two-out double in the fifth inning from Michigan State third baseman Jayme O'Bryant. She ended that threat with a strikeout, before a two-out single in the sixth put another runner on, and shortstop Lindsey Hansen followed with a two-run homer to center to tie the game up 2-2. Galati bounced back with her 13th strikeout to end the inning.

Hofstra loaded the bases in the top of the seventh as Senatore walked, sophomore right fielder Tessa Ziemba (Wilmington, Del.) singled and Galati reached on an error. However, senior third baseman Sara Michalowski (Philadelphia, Pa.) lined out to shortstop as Michigan State escaped the jam.

Neither team threatened until the third, when Bigler led off with a double, but was left stranded. Michigan State then got a runner to third base with nobody out in the bottom half of the fourth, but Galati struck out the next three batters in order to keep the game scoreless.

Bigler was 3-for-4 at the plate for the Pride, while Hirschbuhl was 2-for-4 with the game-winning RBI and Ziemba was 2-for-5. Galati allowed just four hits over nine innings to improve to 5-5 in the circle, while her 17 strikeouts ties her previous high set last year in a seven-inning game against James Madison.

Hofstra will return to action tomorrow with games against Purdue and host Florida Atlantic before concluding play on Sunday morning against Buffalo.

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