Hempstead, NY – After giving up two runs in the first inning, Julia Apsel settled in and shut down the Elon bats for the rest of the game, as the Hofstra softball team earned an 8-2 win at home over the Phoenix to take the series, two games to one.
 
The win puts Hofstra at 20-23 overall and 12-6 against Colonial Athletic Association opponents, while Elon falls to 18-23 overall and 11-6 in the CAA.
 
Elon opened the game with a two-run first inning after Chloe Hatzopoulos hit a two-run home run to right center, but Hofstra responded in the bottom half of the inning to lead 3-2. Angelina Ioppolo drove home Kasey Collins from third on a fielder's choice play by Elon first baseman Claudia Penny, and a sacrifice fly by Becca Vaillancourt scored Chelsea Manto to tie the game at 2-2. Hofstra took the lead on the next at bat thanks to an RBI single to center by Brianna Morse to put the score at 3-2.
 
Hofstra added a run to its lead in the bottom of the second by way of a single to the outfield by Meghan Giordano, plating the speedy Manto from second to make it a 4-2 Pride lead. As Apsel continued to silence an Elon offense that combined for 17 runs and 19 hits in Friday's doubleheader, Aliya Catanzarita scored her second consecutive pinch hit RBI with a single to left field, making the score 5-2 in the bottom of the fifth inning.
 
Hofstra delivered the knockout blow with a three-run sixth inning, putting the game well out of reach for Elon. Ioppolo drove in her second run of the day with a single to right, while Morse drew a bases-loaded walk, and Alanna Morse scored a run on a ground out to put the final score at 8-2.
 
Brianna Morse and Ioppolo collected a team-best two RBIs each on the day, while Collins, Manto, and Ioppolo all totaled two hits. After allowing a two-run home run in the first inning, Apsel was dominant the rest of the game, striking out six while allowing five hits and no walks for her fifth win of the 2023 campaign.
 
Hofstra take on local rival LIU on Wednesday, April 26, in Brookville before hosting Delaware in a three-game series on April 29-30. First pitch against the Sharks is 3 p.m.
 
NOTES:
-Hofstra improves its all-time record over Elon to 14-7.
-Ioppolo recorded her first stolen base since April 10, 2021 against Drexel.
-Manto has extended her streak of reaching base safely to 14 games.