Hampton, VA – The Hofstra softball team earned a pair of Colonial Athletic Association road wins on Saturday with a doubleheader sweep of Hampton. The Pride won game one 8-2 before earning a come-from-behind 4-3 win over the Lady Pirates in game two. The wins put Hofstra's record at 17-22 overall and 9-5 in the CAA, and Hampton drops to 12-22 overall and 2-11 in league play.
Game #1: Hofstra 8, Hampton 2
Alanna Morse drove in the first run of the afternoon on a double to left center, plating
Angelina Ioppolo from third, and
Kasey Collins made it 2-0 with an RBI on a fielder's choice in a bases loaded situation. The Lady Pirates cut the led to one in the bottom of the second on a wild pitch to put the score at 2-1.
Brianna Morse upped Hofstra's lead back to two with an RBI single, and Alanna scored Brianna on a deep single to center field to make it a 4-1 game in the top of the fifth inning. After Hampton put the score at 4-2 following a run for the Lady Pirates in the bottom of the fifth, Hofstra put the game out of reach for the hosts with a four-run seventh inning. Collins scored two on a bloop single over the head of the Hampton third baseman, scoring Vaillancourt and the younger Morse, and the Pride added another two runs thanks to a two-run single from Giordano.
Julia Apsel struck out two and allowed two runs on nine hits for the complete-game win. Giordano led the Pride with three hits in four at-bats, and Collins drove home three runs.
Game #2: Hofstra 4, Hampton 3
The Lady Pirates opened the game with three runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a 3-0 lead over the Pride in the second game. Hofstra settled into the game and cut the Lady Pirate lead to two in the top of the third inning with a sacrifice fly by
Chelsea Manto to make the score 3-1.
As
Annabella Pisapia and the Hofstra defense kept Hampton in check since the first inning, the Pride closed the gap to one run in the top of the fourth as Vaillancourt crossed home plate on a fielding error by Hampton's first baseman, putting the score at 3-2. Hofstra completed the comeback in the fifth inning when Giordano laced a 2-0 pitch to the wall in right center, scoring Manto and Collins for the 4-3 Hofstra lead. Pisapia and the Pride kept Hampton off the board for the remaining two innings.
Pisapia picked up her fourth win of the season after pitching 6.1 innings and allowing four hits while striking out two Hampton batters.
Emma Brennan got the start in the circle for the Pride in the second of Saturday's doubleheader. Collins, Manto, and Vaillancourt all had two hits in the win, while Giordano led the Pride with two RBIs.
Hofstra and Hampton conclude their series on Sunday (Apr. 16) at 1 p.m.
NOTES:
-Hofstra moves to 3-0 all-time against Hampton.
-Manto and Collins each recorded stolen bases on the afternoon.
-Hofstra forced Hampton into stranding 10 total runners on base across the doubleheader.
