Hempstead, N.Y. – The clean scorecard was a power-pitcher's dream. No numbers were required for the first 3 1/3 innings. Just a simple letter that embodies dominance and control: the letter K.
Hofstra senior pitcher Olivia Galati started Sunday's doubleheader against Drexel with 10 consecutive strikeouts. The high number of whiffs wasn't surprising in the context that Galati has 10 games of double-digit strikeouts this season. But none took less than four innings to log before the performance against the Dragons that culminated in her program-record third-career perfect game.
Galati's ability to miss bats— along with already setting program records for strikeouts (1,260), wins (110), innings pitched (946) and no-hitters (10)— led to another career milestone this month: becoming the No. 2 overall pick by the New York/New Jersey Comets in the National Pro Fastpitch college draft.
Should she choose to play in the league, Galati would be just the seventh professional player in the history of the Hofstra Softball program. Her selection was another impressive milestone for the West Babylon, N.Y. native, who was drafted before fellow first-team All-America selections Jolene Henderson (Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year—No. 3 to Chicago Bandits) and 2012 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Keilani Ricketts (Oklahoma – No. 4 to the USSSA Pride).
“It makes everyone realize that Olivia is for real,” Hofstra Head Coach Bill Edwards said. “To go to a team that's local; it's just a tremendous feather in Olivia's cap for how hard she's worked. We're so proud of what she's done for us and the University.
“I almost fell out of my chair,” he continued with a laugh. “I knew she was going to go early. I had talked to a few general managers and communicated with the league. To go No. 2, that's a great honor and well-deserved.”
As luck would have it, Rutgers visited Hofstra Softball Stadium two days after the draft. Jay Nelson, the head coach of the Scarlet Knights, will be Galati's head coach for the Comets this summer when Galati exhausts her collegiate eligibility and the Comets begin play in June.
Nelson, who has worked with Edwards at instructional clinics in the offseason, said he knew Galati from rise-ball camps and knew the type of player – and person – he could have the chance to work with this summer.
“I was excited to hear the news,” Nelson said in the dugout before the Pride and Scarlet Knights split a doubleheader. “This couldn't be a better situation. I got to know her a little last year with our rise-ball camps. She's a great ambassador for the game. She worked great with the kids. She's as good off the field as she is on the field, which is what softball needs.”
A three-time CAA Pitcher of the Year as well as the program's first-ever first-team All-America selection in 2012, Galati has become just the second player in team history to post four 20-win seasons by starting 21-9 with a 1.77 ERA.
As a junior, Galati led Division I with a 0.95 ERA and 17 shutouts en route to taking Hofstra to its first-ever NCAA Super Regional appearance. With 240 strikeouts in just 190 1/3 innings this season, she is on pace to log her third career 300-strikeout campaign.
For years, Edwards has nicknamed Galati after Hall-of-Fame thoroughbred Secretariat for her dependability (137 career complete games) and dominance (two NFCA National Player of the Week awards). But a better comparison might be to an inanimate object. Galati's pitching style is akin to an Aston Martin: a hybrid of power and precision.
Consider that Galati not only leads the CAA this season in total strikeouts but also in strikeouts-looking with 62. If Secretariat was known for an ability to sustain greatness on the long Belmont track, Galati has been able to sustain greatness by carrying the heaviest workload out of any pitcher in the league.
Entering Friday, her innings total was 69 1/3 more than the next-closest player. Despite the high amount of at-bats against her, teams are hitting just .192 when she is in the circle. Yet instead of just looking to pitch to contact and get out of innings, Galati continues to follow in the mold of great power pitchers of the past and refuses to give in.
“I love strikeouts and I go for them,” Galati said with a smile after throwing a perfect game and then a one-hitter in a doubleheader sweep at Drexel in Philadelphia. “But I know if I don't get them, my team has my back.”
Hofstra has committed 10 fewer errors than its opponents this season for a collective .966 fielding percentage. After going 34-7 pitching mostly to the graduated Courtney Crews in 2012, Galati has found a comfort zone with sophomore Erin Trippi behind the plate this season. As the battery mates have gotten more comfortable with each other, Galati's strikeout totals have risen. The former St. John the Baptist standout had one double-digit strikeout performance through the first 14 appearances this year before accomplishing the feat seven times in her last eight starts.
Eight of nine Hofstra starters in the lineup will also enter the weekend with averages above .300, providing ample run support with the Pride entering with a plus-104 run differential that has led to a 24-10 overall start and a 7-1 CAA ledger.
“We have a really good relationship on the field and off the field with her,” Galati said. “My offense has also done a really good job of picking me up and making it easier to go out there and pitch with a lead.”
After beating 12th-seeded UCLA on its home field in the NCAA Tournament last spring, Galati caught the attention of the national softball landscape. After beating Rutgers twice in the last two seasons, Nelson said seeing her up close has only increased the respect other programs have for Hofstra.
“She has command of all of her pitches and throws with good velocity,” Nelson said. “She's a go-to pitcher. Bill goes to her whenever he needs and she takes the ball and goes out there. That's what you need (out of an ace).”
“Hofstra gets the good players in the area. Bill is such a great coach and runs a great program. Not only did Olivia come in as a great player, but she's only gotten better under his teaching.”
