Hempstead, N.Y. – Sophomore catcher Erin Trippi smashed a three-run home run in the sixth to support senior Olivia Galati's complete-game effort as Hofstra posted a come-from-behind 4-1 victory over Iona in a non-conference matchup on Tuesday afternoon at Hofstra Softball Stadium.
Galati stuck out a season-high 12 against just one walk to move to 14-7. Hofstra extended its winning streak to 11 in improving to 14-8 overall while Iona dropped its 14th straight in falling to 4-20.
The Pride trailed, 1-0, entering the bottom of the sixth before Trippi and freshman Maggie Hawkins both hit home runs to stake Galati to her first lead of the game. The right-hander responded by pitching out of trouble in the seventh and stranding two Iona base runners for her 18th complete game.
Iona used two pitchers to exchange zeros with Galati through the first five innings. Beth Kann made just her third pitching appearance for the Gaels this season and went 2 1/3 innings in her first start of 2013, holding Hofstra to two hits and one walk.
Carly Argyle started the contest as the designated player and relieved Kann in the circle in the third. Iona gave Argyle the edge in the sixth when ninth-hitting Sydney Dimon drew her team's only walk of the game with one out. Following a pop out, Allison Hand delivered a hard-hit double to center for the clutch two-out RBI hit and the 1-0 edge.
Hofstra, which registered one hit through the first five innings and left four on base, finally broke through in the sixth. Junior Tori Rocha, who finished 3-for-3, went the other way for a leadoff single to left. Argyle struck out Becca Bigler, but Iona head coach Melissa Inouye brought in Jordan Courage for a potential five-out save.
But Courage gave up a single to senior Tessa Ziemba to put the tying run in scoring position and Trippi followed with her first home run of the season when she pulled a line drive over the left field fence for a three-run home run.
Hawkins came up after a ground out and hit her third home run for the insurance marker and a 4-1 edge. Courage was charged with the blown save and three runs and four hits in 2/3 of an inning as she fell to 1-5.
Galati recorded at least one strikeout in all seven innings, including two in the final frame to close out the win. Iona nearly mounted a comeback bid of its own in the last at-bat with Kann and Argyle both singling to start the inning.
But Galati responded with a strikeout and after a ground out moved two runners into scoring position, Hofstra's ace closed the game out by striking out Brianna King. Hofstra (and Galati) has not lost since March 1 against Mississippi State.
The Pride will next be in action tomorrow with a non-conference doubleheader at Lehigh with Game 1 in Bethlehem, Pa. starting at 2:30 p.m.
