Elon, N.C. – The Hofstra softball season came to a close in the late hours of Thursday evening as the Pride dropped a one-run game in nine innings to the College of Charleston at Hunt Softball Park, 6-5.
Madison McKevitt hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the ninth down to Hofstra's final strike, bringing the game to 6-5.
Hofstra scored the first two runs of the game as
Chelsea Manto beat out an infield single and stole second base before scoring on a fielding error during
Kasey Collins' at-bat. The Pride made it a 2-0 ballgame in the bottom of the second when Collins punched a single through the right side, allowing
Kayla Wilson to score after reaching on a walk.
Charleston cut the Hofstra lead to one run with an RBI single in the fourth and tied things up in the sixth, 2-2, on a wild pitch.
Kayla Wilson and
Sam Ward led off with infield hits in the sixth and seventh innings, but no runs scored for either team as the game went on to extra innings.
Charleston scored four unearned runs in the top of the ninth, stretching the Cougar lead out to 6-2. In the bottom of the ninth, Giordano led off the inning with a walk before a rain delay halted competition for approximately 20 minutes. After play resumed,
Aliya Catanzarita drove a base hit up the middle to put runners on first and third for Hofstra before McKevitt ripped a three-run shot over the right-center field wall, bringing Hofstra within one run, 6-5.
Pinch hitter
Anna Butler kept the rally going with a walk before Wilson re-entered and stole second base, but the Pride struck out for the final out of the game, which lasted three hours and 15 minutes.
Annabella Pisapia pitched three and two-thirds innings in relief and struck out five batters, but ultimately suffered the loss.
Nikki Mullin started the game and pitched five innings, allowing two runs.
Hofstra's season concludes with a 21-27 record. The College of Charleston moved to 15-36 on the season and will take on Elon in an elimination game tomorrow.
Notes:
-Manto finished the season with a team-high .358 batting average while Giordano finished with 32 RBI.
-Manto's 21 stolen bases this season are tied for the fifth-highest in a single-season in program history. She will enter her senior season with 46 career stolen bases, seventh in Hofstra program history.
-Manto ended the season on a 30-game reached base streak and 11-game hitting streak while Giordano reached base safely in the final 20 games.
