SB: Hofstra Opens CAA Tournament Play Wednesday Versus Elon

Hempstead, N.Y. – Hofstra will enter the Colonial Athletic Association Championship with momentum thanks to a nine-game winning streak as the second-seeded Pride open tournament play Wednesday at 3 p.m. versus third-seeded Elon from James Madison University's Veterans Memorial Park.

The double-elimination tournament, which runs May 6-8, will earn the champion an automatic berth in the 64-team NCAA Tournament field. Free live video will be offered through a CAA video stream and live audio will be available via Pride Productions and on WRHU (88.7 FM) starting with a 2:30 p.m. pregame show.

A three-game sweep at the College of Charleston helped the Pride finish 17-3 in league play and 34-11-1 in the regular season. Under first-year Head Coach Larissa Anderson, the Pride posted a 30-win campaign for the sixth consecutive season. Hofstra has won at least 30 games every year since 2010.

Elon won the final four regular season games to lock up the third seed. The Phoenix went 30-20 and 11-10 against the league.

Hofstra took two-of-three from Elon in the regular season series at home from April 18-19. The series was the first time the schools had met. Senior pitchers Morgan Lashley and Taylor Pirone each threw three-hitters in the team's doubleheader sweep over the Phoenix. Elon scored three runs in the top of the seventh the next day to turn a tie game into a 5-2 victory to avoid the sweep.

First-place and nationally ranked JMU will play fourth seeded Towson in the tournament opener Wednesday at noon. The defending CAA-champion Dukes were ranked 19th in the latest NFCA national poll released last week. JMU (44-6) has won 35 consecutive games.

Pirone earned her third CAA Pitcher of the Week award Monday after going 3-0 in Hofstra's week. The right-hander is 15-10 with a 1.96 ERA on the season and leads all Division I pitchers in the fewest walks-per-seven innings in issuing just 10 free passes (against 111 strikeouts) in 164 1/3 innings. Lashley has teamed with Pirone to give Hofstra a formidable 1-2 punch in the lineup. The Davidson, North Carolina native has won 19 consecutive decisions and is 19-1 overall with a 1.85 ERA. Lashley has struck out 160 in 147 2/3 innings.

Sharing CAA weekly honors for pitching with Pirone was Elon ace Kayla Caruso. The righty went 3-0 and did not give up an earned run in 10 innings last week. Caruso is 12-4 on the season in posting the most wins by an Elon pitcher since 2012. A possible Pirone-Caruso matchup could be in store for the tournament opener.

Hofstra has qualified for the NCAA Tournament the last three years and will be looking for a lineup mixed with veterans and three freshmen starters to secure a fourth straight trip. After winning back-to-back titles in 2012 and 2013 and earning an at-large bid last season, the Pride will look to junior outfielders Chloe Fitzgerald and Caryn Bailey to ignite the offense from the top two spots in the order.

Reigning CAA batting champion Fitzgerald is hitting .367 and has scored 32 runs. The leadoff hitter is also 9-for-11 on stolen base attempts. Bailey will look to extend a career-best season as the number-two hitter smacked a career-high 12 home runs in the regular season and drove in a team-high 44 runs with 107 total bases. In her first season in center field, Bailey has handled all but one chance defensively and is slugging .690. She has more walks than strikeouts (24-to-23) and has a .464 on-base percentage.

Freshman Megan Patierno and Brielle Pietrafesa will play in their first CAA Championship after each tying for the second-most home runs on the team. The pair hit seven home runs while fellow freshman Brittany Allocca contributed five.

Single-day and full tournament passes are on sale now through the JMU Athletics Ticket Office. Single-day tickets are $7 each while the entire tournament book is $16 (Children 5 & under are free). Students from a participating CAA institution will be admitted for free with a valid student ID card. Gates will open one hour prior to first pitch on each day. The stadium does allow re-entry for ticketed patrons.

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Players Mentioned

#21 Brittany Allocca: INF; 5' 6"; Freshman; R/R

#24 Caryn Bailey: OF; 5' 6"; Junior; L/R

#10 Chloe Fitzgerald: OF; 5' 6"; Junior; L/L

#8 Morgan Lashley: P; 5' 3"; Senior; R/R

#36 Megan Patierno: INF; 5' 7"; Freshman; R/R

#14 Brielle Pietrafesa: OF; 5' 2"; Freshman; R/R

#20 Taylor Pirone: P; 5' 10"; Senior; R/R

Players Mentioned

#21 Brittany Allocca
: 5' 6"; Freshman; R/R
: INF

#24 Caryn Bailey
: 5' 6"; Junior; L/R
: OF

#10 Chloe Fitzgerald
: 5' 6"; Junior; L/L
: OF

#8 Morgan Lashley
: 5' 3"; Senior; R/R
: P

#36 Megan Patierno
: 5' 7"; Freshman; R/R
: INF

#14 Brielle Pietrafesa
: 5' 2"; Freshman; R/R
: OF

#20 Taylor Pirone
: 5' 10"; Senior; R/R
: P

Hofstra University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Players Mentioned