Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

Hofstra University Athletics

THE PRIDE OF LONG ISLAND
THE PRIDE OF LONG ISLAND
Alyssa Cuzzola
Alyssa Cuzzola

Softball By Brian Bohl

SB: Hofstra To Play Five Games In FAU Tournament

Hempstead, N.Y. – Hofstra will head down to the Sunshine State to face four teams in a five-game Florida Atlantic Parent's Weekend Tournament, starting on Friday with a matchup against nationally ranked Florida State on Friday.

The Pride (5-5) saw its twin doubleheaders against Oklahoma State and Oklahoma canceled by weather last weekend. Hofstra will now play in FAU's Tournament for a second straight year, starting with an 11:15 a.m. matchup against the 12th ranked Seminoles before facing Coastal Carolina at 1:30 p.m.

Hofstra will then face Bethune-Cookman on Saturday at 3:45 p.m. before taking on Florida Atlantic at 8:15 p.m. A rematch against the Owls on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. will conclude the tournament, which will feature live stats for all games.

Hofstra 2-13 in the all-time series against Florida State, including two games in 2013 at Tallahassee in FSU's Tournament in which the Pride fell twice to the 25th-ranked Seminoles.

Florida State held its 12th ranking in the NFCA poll released on March 3 and garnered the 11th spot in the USA Softball poll on the same day.

This season, Florida State is off to a 13-5 start and 3-0 in ACC play following a three-game sweep against Boston College that has propelled the Seminoles to a four-game winning streak entering the tournament. FSU features ace pitcher Lacey Waldrop, who was named to USA Softball's preseason top-50 watch list. She is off to a 9-3 start with a 0.89 ERA. In 13 appearances totaling 10 starts, she has allowed just 34 hits in 70 2/3 innings with 94 strikeouts against just 23 walks.

Hofstra is 2-1 against Coastal Carolina all-time, with the last meeting in 2008. The Chanticleers are 11-8 and have won three in a row and four of the last six.  A potent lineup is featuring six starters batting better than .300. Kory Hayden's .426 average and .515 on-base percentage leads the way.

Bethune-Cookman lost to Hofstra, 5-0, in the first meeting between the schools last season. The Wildcats have lost six straight and are 4-15 overall.
Florida Atlantic is off to a torrid start at 16-3, including 13-1 at home. The Owls had a 14-game winning streak earlier in this season before falling to Stephen F. Austin and LSU on the same day on Feb. 28. Hofstra is 3-8 in the all-time series. FAU is receiving a vote in the latest NFCA national poll.

Senior pitcher Taylor Pirone became the first Hofstra player in 2015 to win a CAA award when she garnered Pitcher of the Week honors on Feb. 24 after posting two wins and a save in the Louisiana-Lafayette Invitational. She has been dependable as both a starter and reliever, as evidenced by her throwing 4 2/3 hitless innings in relief to earn the win over No. 20 Notre Dame and her save against Iowa.

Junior outfielder and leadoff hitter Chloe Fitzgerald leads Hofstra with a .333 batting average while freshman Brittany Allocca has driven in a team-high nine runs in her first 10 collegiate games.
Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Brittany Allocca

#21 Brittany Allocca

INF
5' 6"
Freshman
R/R
Chloe Fitzgerald

#10 Chloe Fitzgerald

OF
5' 6"
Junior
L/L
Taylor Pirone

#20 Taylor Pirone

P
5' 10"
Senior
R/R

Players Mentioned

Brittany Allocca

#21 Brittany Allocca

5' 6"
Freshman
R/R
INF
Chloe Fitzgerald

#10 Chloe Fitzgerald

5' 6"
Junior
L/L
OF
Taylor Pirone

#20 Taylor Pirone

5' 10"
Senior
R/R
P