Hempstead, N.Y. - Junior pitcher Erin Wade (Taunton, Mass.) threw a one-hitter with 12 strikeouts in a 7-0 win over Columbia and sophomore pitcher Olivia Galati (West Babylon, N.Y.) threw a one-hitter with 10 strikeouts in a 7-0 win over Connecticut on the second day of the Hyatt Place Invitational at Hofstra Softball Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The wins improve Hofstra's record to 14-8 on the year, including 4-0 at the Hyatt Place Invitational. Columbia fell to 5-13 with the loss, while Connecticut slips to 10-11.
Wade came five outs from a no-hitter before allowing a soft line drive into shallow right-center with one out in the sixth to center fielder Emily caruthers. Galati allowed only a leadoff infield single to shortstop in the fifth from pinch hitter Marissa Guches. Neither pitcher walked a batter while combining for 22 strikeouts, while Galati improved her numbers to 56 strikeouts since her last walk (on March 6 vs. Pittsburgh).
The Pride got off to a quick start against Columbia with four runs in the first inning, the first three of which came home without the benefit of a hit. An error and a pair of hit-by-pitches loaded the bases with one out, and senior first baseman Sara Michalowski (Philadelphia, Pa.) had an RBI groundout to score the first run. After a pair of passed balls brought home two more runs, senior catcher Laura Valentino (Smithtown, N.Y.) had a double off the wall in left to make the score 4-0.
Wade allowed only one base runner through the first five innings, thanks in part to some solid defense behind her. Junior second baseman Jess Hirschbuhl made a spectacular diving play on a sharp grounder back up the middle to rob Emily Snodgrass of a hit in the third, throwing her out from her knees near the second base bag. Caruthers then followed with a line drive slap towards left field, but senior shortstop Trisha Dreslinski (Kingsville, Ohio) lunged to her right to snare it.
Hofstra then stretched the lead out in the top of the seventh inning with three runs, keyed by an RBI single for the first collegiate hit for freshman pinch-hitter Ashley Ainbinder (Baldwin, N.Y.). Hirschbuhl and sophomore right fielder Tessa Ziemba (Wilmington, Del.) added RBI singles as well to stretch the lead to 7-0.
Wade's bid for a no-hitter came up five outs short, as Caruthers slapped a single into right-center field with one out in the sixth, well out of the reach of both converging outfielders. Wade finished with 12 strikeouts and no walks as she improved to 5-3 on the year. Sophomore center fielder Rachael Senatore (Sparta, N.J.) was 2-for-3 with two runs scored.
In the second game of the day, Galati retired the first 12 batters in order until a leadoff infield single in the fifth inning from Connecticut pinch-hitter Marissa Guches, who was jammed but got enough of the ball to put a soft liner into the 5-6 hole and easily beat the throw from Dreslinski in deep short. Jennifer Ward had the hardest hit ball of the game for the Huskies in the sixth, but hit a hard line drive right at Michalowski at first base.
The game was scoreless until Hofstra struck for three runs in the bottom of the third. With the bases loaded and one out, Ziemba ripped a pitch back up the middle to score two runs, and Michalowski followed with a sacrifice fly to stretch the lead to 3-0.
The Pride added two more runs in the fourth inning on an error and an RBI single from Hirschbuhl. Slugh tacked on an RBI single in the fifth after Valentino led off the inning with a double into the left-center field gap to push the lead to 6-0. Michalowski added on an RBI in the sixth on a forceout to push across an unearned run and make the score 7-0.
Galati improved to 9-5 on the year for the Pride, while Ziemba was 2-for-4 with two RBI and Michalowski had two RBI. Ali Adelman threw three innings to take the loss in the circle for the Huskies.
The Pride will next be in action when it hosts Long Island University on Thursday at 4 p.m. before beginning Colonial Athletic Association play with a three-game series at Drexel on Saturday and Sunday.
