Bronx, N.Y. -- Hofstra mounted a nine-run fifth-inning rally to complement senior Olivia Galati's complete game as the Pride posted a come-from-behind 10-2 victory over Fordham under the lights of Bahoshy Field on Wednesday evening.
Senior Becca Bigler hit a three-run double to key a fifth inning in which the Pride sent 15 batters to the plate. Hofstra scored nine runs on nine hits with six different players recording RBIs. The Pride won for the 14th time in the last 15 games in improving to 32-11. Fordham fell to 28-17.
Galati pitched all five innings in the game shortened by the run rule, holding Fordham to just two runs on nine hits to improve to 28-10. The West Babylon, N.Y. native pitched out of a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the fifth to end the contest and record her 35th complete game.
Erin Trippi had two different RBI hits in the fifth, helping the Pride turn a one-run deficit into an eight-run cushion that put the mercy rule in place. Bigler, Trippi, Tessa Ziemba, Caryn Bailey, Chloe Fitzgerald and Tori Rocha also drove in runs in the onslaught.
Fordham took the early lead on Paige Ortiz's two-run home run in the second. The Rams registered two softly hit opposite-field singles to right in the opening inning, though Galati stranded runners on the corners by getting Kayla Lombardo to pop out to third.
The home team opened the scoring in the second when Chelsea Palumbo hit a one-out single and Ortiz pulled a two-run homer to left. Her third home run of the season was just the second home run Galati had given up her last eight appearances spanning more than 40 innings.
Rams starter Michele Daubman blanked Hofstra through the first three innings, though the Pride mounted some early chances.
Galati smashed a one-out double that hit off the 220-foot sign in center. Fitzgerald used her speed to leg out an infield single to third before Rocha's sacrifice bunt put two runners in scoring position.But Daubman escaped damage with a groundout to short to preserve Fordham's 2-0 lead.
Hofstra finally got to Daubman in the fourth when senior Jess Hirschbuhl doubled down the leftfield line andBigler reached on a bunt single to put runners on the corners with one out. Hawkins hit a grounder to second that Turgeon bobbled but threw to first just in time on a bang-bang play that scored Hirschbuhl.
Bailey made a bid for the potential game-tying hit on a line drive to the right side. But Turgeon made a diving snare for the inning-ending out, stranding Bigler at second and keeping Fordham ahead, 2-1.
Galati kept the Pride in striking distance the defense provided support in turning a 6-4-3 double play in the fourth. That proved key in the fifth when Ziemba, who returned to the lineup after missing the last six games with an injury, smacked a run-scoring single up the middle to plate Fitzgerald with the tying run to ignite the fifth-inning rally.
Trippi followed with another RBI single up the middle to score Rocha with the go-ahead run. That chased Daubman (16-7) in favor of reliever Patti Maloney, who walked Hirschbuhl to load the bases.
Bigler then hit a 0-1 fastball to the wall in left that cleared the bases. Maloney struggled with command at the start, throwing just four her first 12 pitches for strikes as the right walked Hawkins.
Bailey pulled a single off first baseman Jamie Labovick's glove that carried into right, scoring Bigler. Fitzgerald and Rocha had RBI singles. In all, seven players registered base hits in the inning with Galati and Rocha both having two hits.
Ziemba The center fielder finished 2-for-4 with a run scored in batting third in giving Hofstra its leading home run hitter back into the middle of the order. Ziemba has 12 home runs and 34 RBIs in 37 games this season.
Hofstra will be right back in action on Thursday when the Pride hosts LIU Brooklyn. First pitch at Hofstra Softball Stadium is scheduled for 5 p.m.
