Elon, N.C. – The Hofstra softball team opened up its Colonial Athletic Association schedule in style today as the Pride earned a pair of road victories over the Elon Phoenix at the Hunt Softball Park on Saturday afternoon. Hofstra won the first game in five innings, 9-1 before turning around for an exciting 8-7 game two victory.
 
The Pride scattered 22 total hits on the day, as seven Pride players all recorded at least a pair of hits. Angelina Ioppolo and Amanda Maffucci led Hofstra with a 4-for-6 day at the plate with Ioppolo also recording one double and her first career home run for a total of four RBI and four runs. Sam Ward also had a big day at the plate for the Pride with a pair of home runs and five RBI in game one. Ward and Chelsea Manto both also added three runs scored.
 
Game 1: Hofstra 9, Elon 1 (5 inn.)
 
Hofstra got right to work in the top of the first inning when Ioppolo put the Pride on the scoreboard with an RBI single. The Phoenix responded with just one run in the bottom half of the frame with a one-out RBI single, but Julia Apsel struck out the next two batters to end the inning.
 
Zero runs scored and only one runner was left on base over the next two innings before Hofstra had its first big offensive spurt of the day with two runs on four hits in the fourth. After a one-out double for Ioppolo, Ward hammered the first pitch of her at bat down the left field and over the fence to make it a 3-1 game. Madison McKevitt and Maffucci added back-to-back singles in the top of the fourth.
 
Hofstra took complete control of the game in the fifth inning with six runs on six hits to bring the advantage to eight runs. Manto got the rally started with a base hit to left and moved to scoring position with a sacrifice bunt before Meghan Giordano laced a single to center field to score Manto. After another base hit by Ioppolo, Ward launched her second home run of the game, a three-run shot over the left field wall to make it 7-1 and force an Elon pitching change. Right off the change, Hofstra put two more runners on base before Olivia Malinowski drove in McKevitt and Devyn Losco scored on a wild pitch to put the Pride in a potential run-rule victory situation.
 
Nikki Mullin replaced Apsel inside the circle for the final three outs and despite giving up one hit, retired three of her four batters. Apsel earned the win and improved to 3-7 on the season behind a four inning, two strikeout performance.
 
Game 2: Hofstra 8, Elon 7

Game two was certainly a thriller, as the Pride came all the way from behind and then some to earn the sweep over the Phoenix. Elon took a 4-0 lead over the Pride in just the first two innings with a two-run home run and two-RBI double in the first and second frame.
 
For the second time this season, Hofstra exploded for eight runs in one inning in the sixth when the Pride took an 8-4 advantage over the Phoenix. After loading the bases with back-to-back walks and a base hit by Aliya Catanzarita, McKevitt drove home the first run of the frame with an RBI single to center. Losco recorded a sacrifice fly, and Manto dug out a chopper RBI single back to the pitcher to get Hofstra within one.
 
Two more runs scored as Hofstra took the advantage thanks to a sharply-hit ball by Meghan Giordano that went through the legs of the Elon third baseman allowing Manto and McKevitt to come home, giving Hofstra the lead and bringing the score to 5-4. Ioppolo made it an 8-4 game with one swing when she blasted a three-run opposite field home run, the first home run of her career.
 
Elon went down in order in the sixth, but the Phoenix made it interesting in the bottom of the seventh with a pair of home runs to bring the game back within one run, 8-7. Mullin once again came in for relief and retired the final batter of the game as Hofstra earned the one-run victory.
 
Annabella Pisapia pitched the first 1.2 innings of the game, but Haley Venturini earned the win improving to 4-5 in the circle. Venturini threw five innings in relief and struck out seven batters.
 
Up Next:
Hofstra closes out the three-game series against the Phoenix tomorrow afternoon. First pitch at the Hunt Softball Park is set for 1 p.m.
 
Notes:
-Hofstra is now 12-5 over the Phoenix
-Venturini has earned the win in her last four appearances for the Pride
-Hofstra's 12 hits in game one matched a season high, and the eight RBI were the most in a game this season
-Hofstra turned two double plays in game one. At the end of game one, Hofstra had recorded four double plays in two games
-The Pride recorded a .393 batting average and .435 on base percentage as a team today