Tallahassee, Fla. – The Hofstra Softball team picked up a pair of statement wins on the first day of the Florida State Unconquered Invitational, topping previously unbeaten Florida Gulf Coast, 2-1, before taking down No. 13 Florida State, 1-0, in 10 innings.
The Pride improved to 10-4 on the season as Hofstra's pitching tandem of freshman
Sophie Dandola and sophomore
Sarah Cornell did not allow an earned run on the day. The win over the Seminoles was the Pride's first win over a ranked opponent since toppling then-No. 10 James Madison on March 26, 2017.
Game 1:
The Eagles (14-1) got on the board in the bottom of the third, capitalizing on a Hofstra error with no outs to take a 1-0 lead. Dandola then worked out of the inning, striking out Brooke Clemens looking for the third out, stranding two on base.
Seniors
Brielle Pietrafesa and
Megan Patierno and freshman
Imani Myint all singled in the top of the fourth, but FGCU escaped the inning unscathed.
The Pride then pulled ahead in the top of the fifth, putting together a four-hit inning to bring in two runs. Junior
Courtney Scarpato and senior
Brittany Allocca each singled, before Pietrafesa's double brought in a run with two outs. Senior
Sarah Edwards was then intentionally walked to keep the bases loaded, and classmate
Nikki Michalowski's single brought in the go-ahead run.
Dandola (4-1) allowed just three hits and no earned runs or walks in the complete game.
Game 2:
Edwards hit a sacrifice fly in the top of the 10th inning to score the lone run of the game against Florida State (12-5), with Allocca leading off the inning with a double. After entering in relief in the bottom of the ninth, Dandola closed out the game in the 10th for her second win of the day. She had help from Hofstra's defense, who turned a double play to get out of the ninth.
Cornell had an impressive 8.1 innings in the circle, striking out nine and allowing just four hits as the game proved to be a pitchers' duel.
Both sides went down in order in the first inning before Cornell rallied from allowing two hits with no outs in the top of the second by striking out the next three batters.
Sophomore
Kristin Hallam led off with a bunt single in the top of the fourth with Allocca moving her to second with a sacrifice bunt, but a double play ended the Pride's scoring threat.
Edwards hit a lead-off single in the top of the eighth, and a sacrifice bunt moved pinch-runner Myint to second, but pitcher Kylee Hanson worked out of the inning to keep it scoreless.
The Pride is back in action for Day 2 of the Unconquered Invitational on Saturday with a pair of contests against ranked opponents. Hofstra takes on No. 6 Oregon at 10 a.m. before playing a second game against the host Seminoles at 3 p.m.
Notes:
-The win over No. 13 Florida State was Head Coach
Larissa Anderson's fifth victory over a ranked opponent since taking over in 2015.
-FGCU was one of just five remaining unbeaten teams in Division I.
-Myint's single was her first collegiate hit.
-Hofstra has shut out its opponents six times this season.
-The Pride has gone to extra innings six times this season and is 5-1 in extra-innings games.
-Hofstra is 5-0 when Pietrafesa records an RBI.
