Boca Raton, Fla. – Sophomore outfielder Caryn Bailey continued her hot-hitting weekend with three RBIs in Hofstra's 7-2 win over Florida Atlantic in the finale of FAU's Parents' Weekend Tournament on Sunday. The Pride fell to Illinois, 2-0, in eight innings in the first game to split the day.
Hofstra moved to 11-3 with back-to-back splits in the tournament. The Pride defeated Virginia Tech and lost to Michigan State on Saturday.
Junior pitcher Morgan Lashley moved to 8-0 with the complete-game effort against the Owls. The right-hander allowed just six hits and struck out nine against a walk. The Pride supported the transfer from Army with a run in the second and a six-run third to turn what had been a one-run deficit into a comfortable lead.
Down 1-0 in the second, Bailey delivered a RBI triple to right-center that scored senior shortstop Becca Bigler. The Pride then chased FAU starter Samantha Messer (7-3) in the third thanks to a one-out rally.
Senior outfielder Rachael Senatore singled and stole second and sophomore outfielder Chloe Fitzgerald walked. Sophomore first baseman Maggie Hawkins drove in both on a double. Junior catcher Erin Trippi and Bigler both walked to load the bases and Bailey came through again with a two-run single up the middle. The hit ended Messer's outing. Bailey hit a game-ending grand slam against Virginia Tech in the eighth inning in Saturday's game and has seven RBIs in her last three contests.
FAU scored one more run in the fifth, but Lashley retired the final eight batters in order to remain undefeated. She has seven complete games in her eight starts.
Lashley started the contest against Illinois in the morning and pitched two scoreless innings before giving way to fellow junior Taylor Pirone. The righty engaged in a pitcher's duel with Illinois starter Brandi Needham (7-2). The two exchanged zeroes until the eighth when the Fighting Illini ended the deadlock on Jess Perkins' two-run homer.
Needham earned the complete-game victory. Pirone allowed just five hits in six innings and was only charged with one earned run since the tiebreaker rule put a runner on second base to start the eighth. Pirone fell to 3-3.
Hofstra will play at home for the first time this season when the Pride hosts the Hofstra Invitational from Friday-through-Sunday. The Pride will face Georgetown on Friday at 4:15 p.m.
