Columbia, S.C. – Freshman pitcher Sophie Dandola threw what is believed to be the program's first perfect game in the NCAA Tournament as the No. 24 Hofstra Softball team shut out UNCG, 6-0, on Saturday afternoon at Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckman Field. The Pride advanced to the regional semifinal against host No. 9 South Carolina.
 
Dandola finished the game with four strikeouts, pitching seven completely clean innings and throwing just 58 pitches en route to her fourth solo shutout of the season.
 
The Pride (41-13) loaded the bases with one out in the top of the second, using two errors and a walk, but a pair of groundouts got the Spartans out of the inning.
 
Hofstra got on the board in the top of the fourth, with redshirt-junior Lydia Witkowski singling to second base, before junior Courtney Scarpato moved Witkowski to third and reached base herself as the left fielder dropped a popup and muffed the throw to second. Senior Nikki Michalowski then dropped a double into right field to plate two runs. Classmate Megan Patierno then added a third run with a sacrifice fly.
 
The Pride tacked on another run in the top of the fifth. After senior Brittany Allocca had reached on a fielder's choice and advanced to second on a passed ball, UNCG (46-13) committed its fourth error of the contest, allowing senior Sarah Edwards to reach and Allocca to come home.
 
Hofstra loaded the bases in the top of the seventh, with Scarpato walking in a run. Michalowski then slid a single through the left side to plate another.
 
Notes:
-Dandola's perfect game was the first of her career, and her first no-hitter.
-The perfect game was just the 22nd in NCAA Tournament history, and the first since 2013.