New Rochelle, N.Y. – Junior pitcher Taylor Pirone did not allow an earned run in a complete-game effort and capitalized on a two-run first inning as the Pride posted a 4-1 victory against Iona in a non-conference matchup on Wednesday afternoon at Rice Oval Field.
Senior center fielder Rachael Senatore went 2-for-4 with a run scored while sophomore Chloe Fitzgerald and junior Erin Trippi each drove in a run. Sophomore Maggie Hawkins added a seventh-inning solo home run to help Hofstra improve to 20-8 in extending its winning streak to six. Iona fell to 10-17.
Pirone struck out five and retired the side in order in four innings. The Pride also turned two double plays in the contest as the right-hander improved to 8-3 on the season with her sixth complete game.
The Pride scored twice in the seventh to extend its lead as Hawkins went to the opposite field. The shot to right marked her team-leading sixth home run. Senior shortstop Becca Bigler's RBI double provided the fourth run with Trippi scoring.
The Pride jumped on Iona starter Jordan Courage (2-8) for two runs in the opening inning. Senatore hit a leadoff single on the first pitch and advanced to third on a two-base throwing error. Fitzgerald continued her hot hitting with a single that scored Senatore and advanced to second on a throw. Trippi then gave the Pride the multi-run lead on a fielder's choice on a tapper in front of the plate.
Pirone retired the first nine batters before Allison Hand's bloop single to left started the fourth. Eileen McCann hit a single up the middle to give the Gaels two runners on with one out. Iona appeared headed for its third hit of the inning when Kristen Turner's end-of-the-bat liner went to right. But sophomore Caryn Bailey made a lunging catch just before the ball kicked off the grass and fired to first for the inning-ending double play.
In all, Pirone got 11 of her total outs via ground balls. Iona loaded the bases with one out in the seventh before ending Pirone's shutout bid. A walk, an error and a base hit brought the potential tying run to the plate, but a force at home produced the second out before Sydney Dimon's RBI single through the right side put the tying run on base. Pirone responded by getting Brianna Schauer to pop out to end the contest. Pirone lowered her Hofstra-leading ERA to 1.30.
Hofstra Head Coach Bill Edwards is a 1989 inductee of Iona's hall of fame. Edwards the head coach of the men's hockey program for 11 seasons. He posted a 156-64-14 career record with the Gaels, including his final three seasons when the squad was elevated from a club team to varsity status. He was honored before the game.
Edwards also won his 914th career game, which ties him with Linda Wells for the 21st most in Division I history. Wells coached at Minnesota and Arizona State before retiring in 2005.
The Pride will next be in action on Thursday when Hofstra renews a local rivalry with Stony Brook. First pitch for the road non-conference contest is set for 4 p.m. The schools will be playing for the first time since 2009.
