Stony Brook, N.Y. – Stony Brook's Shayla Giosia hit a game-winning single with two outs in the bottom of the seventh to lift the Seawolves to a 3-2 victory over Hofstra in a non-conference game on Thursday afternoon at University Field.
Hofstra junior pitcher Taylor Pirone logged a complete-game but took the hard-luck loss in falling to 8-4 as the Pride saw a six-game winning streak snapped in dropping to 20-9. Stony Brook starter Allison Cukrov earned the win in her own complete-game effort with 10 strikeouts against just one walk and six hits to lift the Seawolves to 17-14. The schools opposed each other for the first time since 2009.
Pinch-hitter Diane Caruso led off the seventh by singling to right to start the inning. Nicole Schieferstein re-entered the game to run and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Pirone retired the second batter on a ground out to first that put the winning run at third. Giosia then ended the game by pulling the ball down the third-base line for her second single of the day. Sophomore third baseman Kim Smith reacted quick enough to get her glove on the ball, but the line drive carried into left for a base hit. Giosia finished 2-for-4 to make a winner out of Cukrov (12-7).
Sophomore first baseman Maggie Hawkins staked Hofstra to an early lead by lining a first-inning RBI double to right-center that scored freshman Chloe Fitzgerald. Hawkins batted in a run for the third time in four games and Fitzgerald scored a run for the seventh time in her last eight contests.
Kellie Reynolds put Stony Brook ahead, 2-1, with a two-run double in the second. Melissa Phelan and Alexandra Pisciotta started the inning with back-to-back singles before a sacrifice bunt put both runners in scoring position. Reynolds' double to left-center put the Seawolves ahead until junior catcher Erin Trippi hit a RBI infield single in the third to tie the score.
Senior outfielder Rachael Senatore hit a leadoff single and improved to 8-for-8 in stolen base attempts this season when she swiped second. Fitzgerald's ground out advanced her to third, which proved to be a valuable play when Trippi's slow grounder to short resulted in an infield hit that scored Senatore for the tying run. Trippi's 21 RBIs is second on Hofstra behind Hawkins' 27.
Pirone and Cukrov exchanged zeros from the fourth-through-sixth innings before Stony Brook's final rally. Pirone registered her seventh complete game of the campaign and her 1.45 ERA still leads the Pride. Hofstra is 12-3 in the all-time series against Stony Brook.
The Pride will resume Colonial Athletic Association play with a three-game series versus the College of Charleston this weekend, starting with a Saturday doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m. from Hofstra Softball Stadium. Live audio via PRIDE ZONE will be available for all games.
