Piscataway, N.J. - Senior third baseman Krista Thorn registered five total RBIs-including three in the second game-and Hofstra benefitted from two strong pitching performances from junior Olivia Galati and senior Erin Wade to record a pair of victories over Rutgers, 8-2 and 8-0, in sweeping a non-conference doubleheader on Tuesday at RU Softball Complex.
With the wins, Hofstra improved its overall record to 14-12, marking the first time all season the team has had an overall winning record. The Pride, which is 5-0 and in first place in the Colonial Athletic Association, extended its winning streak to 10 games. Rutgers fell to 16-17.
Galati (10-5) and Wade (4-7) both registered complete games in extending Hofstra's edge against the Big East-member Scarlet Knights to 23-6 all-time. The Pride has won 10 straight in the series.
The Pride cracked the eight-run plateau for the fourth straight game and eighth time this season to cruise to a wire-to-wire victories in each game.
Hofstra scored four runs in the opening inning of both games. In Game 2, junior outfielder Tessa Ziemba and Thorn both belted two-run home runs to chase Rutgers starter Megan Williams after 2/3 of an inning.
Ziemba lined a her fifth home run of the season to center field for a two-run lead. Senior catcher Courtney Crews ripped a one-hop double off the wall in left and Thorn pulled a two-run shot to left for a 4-0 cushion for Wade.
Ziemba's long ball put her just one behind junior shortstop Becca Bigler for the team lead in home runs. She brought in Galati with a two-run double in the fourth to cap her three RBI Game 2 performance. Thorn pulled a RBI single through the right side to extend Hofstra's lead to 6-0 in the fourth.
Wade scattered four hits in seven innings to notch her third straight victory and sixth complete game. Williams was tagged with four runs (all earned) in less than an inning in dropping to 1-3. Hofstra finished with 14 hits against three Rutgers pitchers.
Galati picked up the complete-game victory in the first contest, limiting Rutgers to two runs in seven winnings to extend her personal winning streak to eight. Galati, who earned the Colonial Athletic Association's Player of the Week award for a second straight time on Monday, also reached base safely twice and scored two runs to snap Rutgers' five-game winning streak.
Galati struck out 13 against just one walk in registering her 15th complete game. Galati, senior catcher Courtney Crews and freshman designated player Erin Trippi all scored twice. Thorn drove in two runs and senior outfielder Michelle Lavagnino provided a boost from the lineup's ninth spot, going 3-for-4 with a RBI.
Hofstra surged to a 4-0 first-inning lead on three hits and a slew of Rutgers miscues. Junior outfielder Rachael Senatore beat out a grounder to second for a leadoff single and stole second. With the runner in scoring position, Becca Bigler swung at strike three in the dirt and raced down to the first on the wild pitch.
Catcher Kylee Bishop's throw down to first sailed into right field, allowing Senatore to score on the throwing error. A single and a walk loaded the bases and Thorn drove in Galati with a RBI single through the left side.
Chandler Howard misplayed the ball in left field for the second Rutgers error of the inning, allowing Crews to score from second. A balk then forced in freshman Erin Trippi for the fourth run as the Pride took a commanding early lead.
Lindsey Curran helped Rutgers back in it, pulling a fastball for a leadoff home run to put the Scarlet Knights on the scoreboard. But Galati struck out five of the next six batters and Hofstra added insurance runs with a four-run third inning.
The first five batters reached in the inning, with Trippi driving in a run by ripping a bases-loaded single up the middle. Rutgers starter Abbey Houston then hit Thorn near her left foot to force in another run and the Pride added two runs on a RBI ground out and a passed ball, respectively, to open an 8-1 advantage.
Rutgers scored once in the bottom of the fourth before Galati sealed the contest with three scoreless innings. Houston fell to 4-9, giving up eight runs (two earned) in the complete-game effort.
Freshman second baseman Lindsey Reid made her first collegiate start and turned both ground balls hit to her into groundouts.
The game also featured a familiar face in the dugout for Rutgers. Ryan McMullen, who served four years as an assistant coach at Hofstra, is now an assistant with the Scarlet Knights. McMullen was on the staff for three CAA championships on Pride head coach Bill Edwards' staff before coming to Rutgers last season.
The Pride will next be in action on Wednesday with another non-conference matchup versus Binghamton. Game time at Hofstra Softball Stadium is set for 4 p.m.
