Hempstead, N.Y. - Junior second baseman Jess Hirschbuhl (Jamison, Pa.) was 2-for-2 with a pair of RBI, and was a part of two key defensive plays as the Hofstra Softball team defeated Iona 8-0 on Tuesday afternoon at Hofstra Softball Stadium.

The win was Hofstra's ninth in a row and improves its record to 18-8 on the year. Iona slips to 6-10 on the season with the loss.

Hofstra got on the board in the bottom of the first inning, as sophomore center fielder Rachael Senatore (Sparta, N.J.) led off with a long fly ball that just carried over the head of Iona right fielder Katie Jansson for a triple. Two batters later, sophomore right fielder Tessa Ziemba (Wilmington, Del.) drove her in with a sacrifice fly to left field to give the Pride the 1-0 lead.

Senatore then extended the lead to 2-0 in the second inning with a two-out RBI single. After the Pride loaded the bases on a hit by pitch to freshman designated player Tori Rocha (Rehoboth, Mass.), Hirschbuhl lined a single back up the middle to score two runs and stretch the lead to 4-0.

Hirschbuhl then came up with a stellar defensive play in the top of the third inning, as she snared a sharp one-hopper off the bat of Iona pitcher Deanne Algeo with a runner on third base to prevent the Gaels from scoring.

Hofstra also used some sparkling defense in the fourth inning, as Iona put runners on first and third with nobody out. After a foul pop up for the first out, the Pride ended the frame with a double play as senior shortstop Trisha Dreslinski (Kingsville, Ohio) fielded a sharp ground ball up the middle, flipped it to Hirschbuhl at second, and Hirschbuhl was able to turn two with plenty of time to get designated player Courtney Duncan at first.

The Pride extended with four more runs in the fourth as Hirschbuhl doubled to right-center with one out and came home on a two-out single from senior catcher Laura Valentino (Smithown, N.Y.).  A hit-by-pitch to sophomore designated player D.J. Slugh (Marlboro, N.J.) with the bases loaded made the score 6-0, a wild pitch pushed it to 7-0, and a slow roller for an RBI single off the bat of Senatore pushed the eighth run across to enforce the eight-run rule.

Dreslinski added another strong defensive play with a running over-the-shoulder catch in the top of the fifth on a shallow liner from Alyssa James to lead off the frame and help put the game away.

Junior pitcher Erin Wade (Taunton, Mass.) went the distance to get the shutout and improve to 7-3 on the year, allowing two hits and striking out two. Senatore was 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored, while Slugh was 2-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored.

Hofstra returns to action on  Wednesday when it hosts Rutgers for a 4 p.m. contest at Hofstra Softball Stadium.