Hempstead, N.Y. - Junior
Olivia Galati threw a five-inning complete-game in the opener and pitched 3 2/3
innings of scoreless relief to lift the Pride to a doubleheader sweep over
George Mason, 12-3 and 9-3, on Saturday afternoon in Colonial Athletic Association
matchups at Hofstra Softball Stadium.
Senior third baseman Krista Thorn hit a three-run home run as part of a five-RBI afternoon in the second
game while junior Tessa Ziemba and freshman Erin Trippi both drove in two runs
in Game 1 as Hofstra out-scored the Patriots, 21-6 to improve to 23-13 overall
and 10-0 in CAA play to stay in sole possession of first place. Mason fell to
10-32 and 4-7.
Hofstra has won 19 of the
last 21 games. With the two wins, Galati improved to 17-5 with 15 straight
victories to put her just two behind Kayleigh
Lotti for the second-longest streak in team history. Galati also went 4-for-5
with four RBIs overall.
In the opener, Hofstra
scored twice in the first before taking on 10 runs in the fourth to put the run
rule in effect. Galati, who struck out
nine in five innings without giving up an earned run, went 3-for-4 at the plate
with three RBIs and two runs scored.
Galati showed the form that
earned her Division I Player of the Week honors on Tuesday with the complete
effort. The West Babylon, N.Y. native
opened the scoring in the first with a run-scoring single to center to plate
junior Rachael Senatore. Ziemba then lined a hit off Mason starter Stephanie
Maher (4-9) for the 2-0 edge.
Entering the season, the Pride had
not scored 10 runs in an inning since the 2000 campaign. Hofstra then
accomplished the feat for the second time this season in the fourth. The first 12 batters of the inning reached
base before Mason recorded an out. Every single member of the starting lineup
scored with sophomore Tori Rocha scoring twice in the frame.
Overall, Hofstra had 10 runs on 10 hits and
ended the inning with three runners on base. Hofstra tied its season high for
single-inning runs, notching the mark set at Georgia State on March 24.
George Mason scored three unearned
runs in the top of the fifth off a Hofstra error. Galati walked just one.
In the second game, senior Erin Wade threw two scoreless innings
before Mason scored in the top of the third on Brooke Blankenship's RBI single.
Hofstra responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning. Ziemba pulled a
run-scoring single through the left side to plate junior Becca Bigler, giving
Ziemba her team-leading 30th RBI.
Thorn added a two-run single down
the leftfield line for a 3-1 Hofstra edge. Mason came right back in the fourth.
After Wade retired the first batter on one pitch, she appeared to get the
second out before a fielding error put a Mason runner on base.
The Patriots then put two runners in scoring positions thanks
to a double and Reagan Doiron brought in both with a two-run single to tie the
game. Galati then came into relief and struck out Tori Dudley before inducing a
groundout to stand two runners on base.
Hofstra then erupted for five runs
in the bottom of the fifth. Galati added a sacrifice fly for her fourth total RBI of the afternoon against Mason reliever Jamie Rice. Crews, who
was hit by a pitch three times in two games, took her base after getting
plunked and advanced to third on Trippi's double to deep center field.
Thorn then pulled her fifth home
run of the season on a long fly ball to left for a three-run home run and an
8-3 edge. Galati struck out five in less than four innings of work. The only
Mason base runner against her came when Doiron struck out but advanced to first
on a throwing error on a dropped third strike. Galati retired the final four
batters to close the victory while Miranda Cranford (0-7) took the loss.
The Pride will conclude a
three-game series versus Mason on Sunday with a noon start from Hofstra
Softball Stadium.
