Hempstead, N.Y. – Hofstra will look to extend its 10-game winning streak with non-conference matchups this week, starting on Tuesday at home against Iona at 3:30 p.m. from Hofstra Softball Stadium.
Live audio of the contest can be heard through Pride Zone on GoHofstra.com. On Wednesday, the Pride will travel to Bethlehem, Pa. to face Lehigh in a doubleheader beginning at 2:30 p.m.
Hofstra (13-8, 2-0 Colonial Athletic Association) has not lost since March 1 and is coming off a doubleheader sweep at UNC Wilmington to begin conference play. Rain washed out the scheduled series finale on Sunday, though the Pride will return home with momentum after senior pitcher Olivia Galati tossed a pair of complete-game victories and Hofstra out-scored the Seahawks, 19-4.
On the season, the Pride has a plus-51 run differential in just 21 games. Hofstra has scored six runs or more in eight straight games and will now face an Iona squad that will visit Long Island with a 13-game losing streak and a 4-19 overall record.
Lehigh (11-9-1) is coming off a four-game home sweep over Niagara and has won six of the last nine games. The series marked the first four Mountain Hawks' games of the season at Kaufman Field.
The Pride will return home to a stadium where the squad is 24-2 since 2012. Since Hofstra Softball Stadium opened in 1999, the Pride is a combined 275-49 at home.
Galati was won all 10 of Hofstra's games during the winning streak and is 13-7 with a 2.29 ERA, tossing 17 complete games and five shutouts total. Galati extended her program record with her eighth career no-hitter in a five-inning 11-0 victory at UNCW in the opener of the doubleheader.
On the day, Galati struck out 19 total against just one walk in the two games combined. The West Babylon, N.Y. native is allowing batters to hit just .229 off her one season after she led all Division I with a 0.95 ERA en route to earning first-team All-America status.
The offense has supported Galati. A starting lineup that usually features three freshmen and four seniors continues to provide the Pride with a balanced approach. In the first win against the Seahawks, the Pride benefitted from a no-hitter and a grand slam with senior Jess Hirschbuhl going deep.
Hirschbuhl also hit a home run in the second game and the veteran third baseman is now hitting .333 with four home runs and 16 RBIs. The Jamison, Pa. native is one of seven Hofstra starters batting .300 or better. Head coach Bill Edwards' team entered the week hitting a collective .315.
Freshmen Maggie Hawkins and Caryn Bailey are 1-2 atop the Hofstra batting leaders. Hawkins has solidified the first base spot by posting a .426 on-base percentage along with 11 RBIs and 35 total bases at the bottom of the order. Bailey continues her stellar start in right field by hitting .362 with three home runs and 17 RBIs in starting all of her first 21 collegiate games.
As the team's cleanup hitter, senior Tessa Ziemba already has nine home runs and 24 RBIS for a .808 slugging percentage. The Wilmington, Del. native has 34 career home runs and 154 RBIs, trailing only Ashley Lane's team record of 40 home runs and 180 RBIs set in a career that spanned 2004-07.
Iona's offense is led by Eileen McCann (.295 average) and Beth Kann (.294). Along with Allison Hand, the trio has accounted for 31 runs scored out of the Gales' 68 total runs.
Lehigh strength has been pitching with Rebecca Bliss (5-5, 2.08 ERA) and Emily Bausher (5-2, 1.56 ERA) helping the Mountain Hawks register a team 2.15 ERA. Bausher has shown a propensity to miss bats, striking out 54 in 49 1/3 innings.
