Eugene, Ore. – Hofstra Softball split its first day of the Oregon Duck Invitational, shutting out Pacific, 2-0, in the first game, before falling to No. 4 Oregon, 16-0, in the second game on Friday afternoon at Jane Sanders Stadium. The Pride moved to 8-7 on the season.
GAME 1 - PACIFIC
Senior
Lacey Clark picked up a pair of RBIs in the Pride's win over Pacific. Junior
Brielle Pietrafesa reached on a fielder's choice in the first inning before classmate
Megan Patierno was hit by a pitch and
Brittany Allocca walked to load the bases with one out. Clark's sacrifice fly brought Pietrafesa home to give Hofstra the 1-0 lead.
The Pride doubled its lead in the bottom of the fifth, with Pietrafesa hitting a lead-off single before Patierno was walked with one out. Clark then doubled to left field, once again bringing Pietrafesa home.
The Tigers (10-11) had gotten out of a jam in the fourth; junior
Kaitlyne Musa was walked before freshman
Sarah Cornell's pinch-hit double put runners on second and third. A walk for sophomore
Courtney Scarpato loaded the bases with one out but a ground-out got Pacific out of the inning scot-free.
The Tigers put runners in scoring position in the first, fourth, fifth and sixth innings, but the Pride held on for the shutout, with Cornell improving to 7-1 on the season. She pitched a complete game, striking out five, walking two and allowing six hits.
GAME 2 – OREGON
The Ducks (20-0) jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the first inning, loading the bases with one out. Three singles sandwiched by a pair of walks brought in the first five runs. Senior pitcher
Jessica Peslak then stepped in to relieve freshman
Alyssa Irons. Alexis Mack's sac fly to left field drove in the sixth run, but the Pride also got the out at third to get out of the inning.
Hofstra loaded the bases in the top of the second after Clark singled to lead off. Junior
Nikki Michalowski then walked with one out before freshman
Sam Tomasetti reached on a fielder's choice with Clark getting thrown out at third. Then, sophomore
Courtney Scarpato lined a singled up the middle, but a strikeout ended the Pride's scoring attempt.
A pair of two-run homers, one from Nikki Udria and one from Megan Kleist, pushed the Ducks' lead to 10-0 in the bottom of the second. Then, an RBI double from Danica Mercado and two walks with the bases loaded gave Oregon the 13-0 advantage.
Irons re-entered the game in the bottom of the fourth. Miranda Elish then hit a three-run homer for the 16-0 lead.
Despite the loss, Hofstra recorded six hits.
The Pride is back in action on Saturday, opening the day with a matchup against Idaho State at 1 p.m. (10 a.m. EST) before taking on Pacific again at 3:30 p.m. (12:30 p.m. PST).
