Fort Myers, Fla. – In a pair of games against opponents receiving votes in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll, Hofstra Softball fell to Wisconsin, 4-0, before shutting out Florida International, 2-0, on Saturday night at FGCU Softball Complex.Senior
Lacey Clark went 3-for-5 on the day with a home run, a double and two RBIs, as the Pride moved to 4-5.
GAME 1 – WISCONSIN
The Badgers (11-2) beat Hofstra for the second time in two weeks, using a big second inning and a strong pitching performance from Kirsten Stevens to blank the Pride.
After loading the bases with two outs, Wisconsin scored three runs in the top of the second inning to take the lead. Kayla Konwent then led off the top of the third with a solo home run to push the lead to 4-0, but freshman pitcher
Alyssa Irons (0-3) got out of the inning without any further damage, including striking out pinch hitter Melanie Cross.
Senior
Lacey Clark doubled in the bottom of the fifth, but Wisconsin pitcher Stevens took down the next three batters, including throwing two strikeouts.
The Badgers put runners on first and second with two outs in the top of the seventh but Irons fanned Kelly Welsh on a full count for Wisconsin's final out of the game.
Junior
Kaitlyne Musa and Clark each singled in the bottom of the seventh, but two quick outs sealed the win for the Badgers.
GAME 2 – FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL
Freshman pitcher
Sarah Cornell (4-0) recorded her first career shutout in a defensive battle with Florida International (10-5). In the complete game for Cornell, she allowed just three hits while walking four and striking out six.
After a slow start for both teams, Clark hit a two-run home run, her second homer of the season, in the top of the third to give Hofstra a 2-0 lead, bringing junior
Brielle Pietrafesa, who had walked.
The Pride had had its first chance to score in the top of the first when junior
Megan Patierno singled with two outs before Clark walked for runners on first and second, but Florida International pitcher Shannon Saile threw a strikeout to get out of the inning.
The Panthers put runners on second and third with one out on a double and a walk in the bottom of the second, but Cornell retired the next two with a foul-out and a strikeout. FIU threatened again in the bottom of the fifth with a walk and a single, but a pair of fly-outs kept the Panthers off the board.
FIU singled in the bottom of the seventh with two outs, but a line-out ended the game and sealed the win for Hofstra.
Hofstra is back in action Sunday at 12:15 p.m. when it closes the tournament with a matchup with Boston College.