Hempstead, NY – The Hofstra University softball team earned its fourth consecutive Colonial Athletic Association series victory on Saturday afternoon with a convincing 11-3 run-rule victory over the UNCW Seahawks at Bill Edwards Stadium.
 
Hofstra improved to 8-3 in the CAA (15-21 overall) while UNCW dropped to 7-5 in the league and 25-10 on the season. Following Saturday's action, Hofstra is tied with Delaware for first place in the CAA.
 
The Pride scored a season-high 11 runs on 11 hits while capitalizing on three UNCW errors to claim the win. Meghan Giordano had another outstanding day at the plate as she went 2-for-3 with three RBI while Devyn Losco was 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI. Angelina Ioppolo and Amanda Maffucci also recorded a pair of hits while Ioppolo, Sam Ward, and Kasey Collins all drove in runs.
 
After the Seahawks left two runners on base in the top of the first, Hofstra pounced with two runs, as Manto and Collins led off with base hits before Giordano ripped a single up the middle to send home Manto. Ward scored Collins on a sacrifice fly with two outs to give the Pride a two-run advantage after one.
 
UNCW cut the lead in half with an unearned run, but Hofstra continued to control the pace offensively with two more tallies including an RBI squeeze bunt by Losco. The third and fourth innings went scoreless for both teams before UNCW got within one with two runs, two hits, and two Hofstra errors in the top of the fifth to bring the score to 4-3.
 
The Pride went on a tear in the final two innings and scored seven its 11 runs in the fifth and sixth frames. After back-to-back groundouts to lead off the bottom half of the fifth, Hofstra had a huge two-out rally and scored six runs on four hits to take a commanding 10-3 advantage. Maffucci and Wilson got the inning started with base hits to the right side before a miscue allowed Maffucci to cross home. A wild pitch and fielder's choice scored two more runs, before Giordano blasted a two-RBI double to left field and Ioppolo drove in Giordano with a base hit up the middle to make it a seven-run game.
 
After retiring three of four batters in the top of the sixth, Hofstra returned to the dugout needing just one more run to secure the run-rule victory. The Pride did just that as Wilson walked with two outs and moved to second on a wild pitch before Losco ripped a pitch deep to left field, allowing Wilson to cross home easily for the game-winning run.
 
Nikki Mullin earned her second win of the weekend on the rubber, improving to 3-4 overall. Mullin worked five innings inside the circle and allowed just one earned run. Annabella Pisapia pitched one inning in relief and struck out one batter.
 
Up Next:
The Pride returns to the diamond for a key CAA series next weekend at the University of Delaware. Hofstra will take on the Blue Hens in a Saturday doubleheader at 12 and 2 p.m. before closing out the weekend with a single-game on Sunday at 1 p.m.
 
Notes:
-Hofstra is now 46-7 all-time against UNCW
-Hofstra recorded a season-high 11 runs, matched a season-high eight RBI and matched a season-high three doubles
-Giordano recorded her fifth multi-RBI game
-Manto has reached base successfully in 18 consecutive games while Giordano has reached base safely in nine-straight contests
-Giordano hit .625 (5-for-8) during the UNCW series with five RBI, one home run, one double, and two runs scored. She recorded a .700 on base percentage and 1.125 slugging percentage.