Houston, TX - The Hofstra softball team jumped out to a 7-3 lead, but Morgan State rallied in their final three at bats to earn a 9-7 victory over the Pride on Sunday afternoon at the University of Houston Classic.
Hofstra slips to 0-5 with the loss, while Morgan State improves to 4-4.
It was a productive first three innings for Hofstra as the Pride scored twice in all three innings as they led 6-3 after the third.
Kasey Collins got the day started as she led off with a single and would score on a wild pitch with
Meghan Giordano earning a walk. Giordano would come around to score on
Aliya Catanzarita double to left.
It got exciting in the second frame as
Chelsea Manto hit an inside-the-park home run as part of the Pride's two-run second and then the third inning would see
Alanna Morse double to drive home a run and
Amanda Maffucci score Hofstra's sixth run on a throwing error.
A bases-loaded hit by pitch would plate the Pride's seventh and final run of the contest in the fourth, before the Bears mounted their rally.
Morgan State closed the gap to 7-6 with two runs in the fourth and a single tally in the fifth. In the sixth inning, the Bears opened with a trio of singles that would bring home the tying run with no outs. Morgan State was able to add two more runs, including the game-winner, with one out as two runners scored on a Pride error.
Collins finished with three hits and two runs scored for Hofstra, while
Becca Vaillancourt posted two hits and Giordano scored a pair of runs.
Asia Thomas went 3-4 with three runs scored for Morgan State, which also got three hits, two runs scored and two runs batted in from Mia Ewell.
Hofstra is back in action next weekend when it travels to the University of Georgia Classic on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The Pride will face Lipscomb, Georgia, and California Baptist in the three-day tournament.
NOTES
- It was the first three-hit game for Collins since going 3-3 against Charleston on April 2, 2022.
- Vaillancourt had her second two-hit game of the season.
- The inside-the-park home run was the first home run of Manto's career.
