Hempstead, N.Y. – Freshman pitcher Sarah Cornell threw a no-hitter in Game 1 as Hofstra Softball shutout one of the Colonial Athletic Association's top offenses in back-to-back games, topping Elon, 3-0 in Game 1 and 8-0 in five innings in Game 2 for the doubleheader sweep on Sunday afternoon at Bill Edwards Stadium. The conference series was shortened to just two games on Sunday after a rainout on Saturday.
 
The victories extended the Pride's win streak to seven games, as the team improved to 21-17 overall and 9-4 in the CAA.
 
On Hofstra's Senior Day, the Pride's graduating class came up big. Senior pitcher Jessica Peslak picked up the shutout win in Game 2, pitching four scoreless innings with two strikeouts. Classmate Lacey Clark was 1-for-2 in Game 2 with an RBI, and Christie Sinacori pinch-hit an RBI single to drive in the game-sealing eighth run.
 
The Pride got hits from nearly its whole lineup on Sunday, with nine of 10 batters finishing with at least one hit on the day. Junior Sarah Edwards was 2-for-2 with a single and a home run, her first in a Hofstra jersey, in Game 1. Classmate Nikki Michalowski finished the day with three hits and three runs.
 
GAME 1
 
Elon (29-17, 7-7 CAA) threatened in the first inning of Game 1, with Cornell walking the lead-off batter before Alaina Hall reached safely on a bunt to put runners on first and second. Cornell then threw her first of nine strikeouts on the day – matching the season-high she set Wednesday against Stony Brook – sparking three straight outs to escape the inning.
 
Cornell would allow just one more baserunner for the remainder of the game, pitching five clean innings. The no-hitter was Hofstra's first since Morgan Lashley held Central Arkansas hitless in an 8-0 six-inning victory on Feb. 14, 2015.
 
The Pride got on the board in the bottom of the fourth, with Michalowski leading off with a hard-hit double to left-center before moving to third on a wild pitch. Junior Megan Patierno then dropped a single into shallow right field to bring Michalowski home for a 1-0 Hofstra lead.
 
It was Michalowski's lead-off effort that helped extend the Pride's advantage in the sixth, as she singled and advanced to second on an error by the left fielder. Edwards' long ball to left-center brought Michalowski home for the 3-0 win.
 
GAME 2
 
The Phoenix broke its hitless streak in Game 2, with Hannah Olson hitting a lead-off single to open the first inning, but three straight outs – a ground-out and a pair of fly-outs – got Peslak out of the inning.
 
The Pride took control in the bottom of the first, with freshman Kristin Hallam getting hit by Kenna Quinn's pitch to lead off. Hallam then took off to steal second and was able to take third on an error. Junior Brittany Allocca then smacked a double to bring Hallam home. Michalowski's third hit of day moved Allocca to third, before Clark's sac fly scored Allocca. Patierno brought Michalowski home for the second time on the day with a well-hit single up the middle for a 3-0 Hofstra lead after one.
 
Junior Kaitlyne Musa led off with a walk in the bottom of the second, with freshman Sam Tomasetti stepping in to pinch-run. Sophomore Courtney Scarpato laid down a bunt, reaching safely and advancing Tomasetti to second. Hallam then slapped a single to right-center to load the bases with no outs. Allocca used a sac fly to plate Tomasetti for another Hofstra run.
 
The Pride tacked on another in the third, with Patierno and Edwards each singling, and Scarpato hitting Hofstra's third sac fly of the game to drive in Patierno.
 
A three-run fourth inning sealed the run-rule win for the Pride. A lead-off single from junior Brielle Pietrafesa, an Allocca walk and a single from Clark loaded the bases. A wild pitch advanced the runners, bringing Pietrafesa home. Patierno added another sac fly for the Pride to drive in Allocca, before Sinacori stepped in for her last at-bat on home soil, smacking a single through the right side to bring in fellow senior Clark.
 
Freshman pitcher Alyssa Irons pitched the top of the fifth to close out the win, working out of a bases-loaded jam to preserve the shutout.
 
Hofstra steps out of conference for a midweek trip to Binghamton. The doubleheader with the Bearcats begins at 3 p.m. on Tuesday.