Greenville, N.C. - Hofstra scored two runs in the top of the
seventh and put the potential tying run in scoring position, but the Pride
couldn't complete the rally in falling, 4-3, to East Carolina on the last day
of the Pirate Clash on Monday at ECU Softball Stadium.
Junior Becca Bigler launched her second home run of the
season to give Hofstra a chance in their last at-bat. Senior catcher Courtney Crews also went 3-for-4 with a run scored as the Pride fell to 0-3. East
Carolina scored twice in the second, once in the third and added a key
insurance run in the sixth which proved to be the game-winner as the Pirates
improved to 5-3.
East Carolina took the early lead in the contest in the second inning. Junior pitcher
Olivia Galati retired the next two hitters after a leadoff walk and appeared to
get out of the inning before a fielding error allowed Alex Fieldhouse to score from
second. Following a stolen base, the Pirates extended the rally on
Jordan Lewis' single to center to advance Suzanne Riggs to third. East Carolina
then executed a double steal to plate the second unearned run.
Fieldhouse's RBI single in the third made it 3-0 and marked the
first earned run scored against Galati (0-2). Overall, Galati allowed just six
hits and four runs (two earned) in six innings. She struck out five in a
complete-game effort.
Hofstra also took advantage of an error to score their first
run in the top of the sixth. Crews' one-out single gave the Pride a much-needed
baserunner, and the backstop moved to second on a ground out. Crews then scored
on a fielding error by the shortstop to cut the deficit to 3-1.
The Pirates tacked on another run in the bottom of the
inning on Lewis' run-scoring double to left.
Hofstra mounted one last comeback. East Carolina's Sarah
Christian threw five scoreless innings to improve to 4-1, though the Pride was
able to score all three runs (two earned) in Courtney Smith's two innings of relief
for the Pirates.
Down three runs to start the last inning, the Pride mounted
struck fast on a Michelle Lavagnino leadoff single. Bigler, who homered in the
season opener versus No. 21 Louisville, then gave Hofstra jolt with a two-run
blast to left-center.
Following a groundout, Jess Hirschbuhl reached on a single
as the potential tying run. Smith induced a pop out but gave up a two-out to
Crews to put runners on first-and-second. Smith then got Erin Trippi to hit into a
force out to end the game.
The Pride left 11
players on base in out-hitting the Pirates, 10-6.
Hofstra will next be in action in the NFCA Leadoff Classic
in Clearwater, Fla. starting on Friday against Louisiana-Lafayette at 3:30 p.m.
