Hempstead, NY – On a cloudy Friday afternoon at Bill Edwards Stadium, the Hofstra softball team split a Colonial Athletic Association doubleheader against visiting Towson. The Pride won the first game, 9-1, in six innings, while Towson took game two with a 12-5 score.
Hofstra moves to 14-21 overall and 7-4 in the CAA following Friday's action. Meanwhile, Towson is now 18-17 overall and 8-6 in the conference.
Game #1: Hofstra 9, Towson 1 (6 inn.)
After two scoreless innings for both sides, Hofstra jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning.
Kasey Collins drew a lead-off walk prior to advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt by
Chelsea Manto.
Meghan Giordano stepped to the plate and, on a full count, launched the ball well over the left field wall for a two-run home run. After
Angelina Ioppolo struck out,
Brianna Morse connected on the first pitch she saw and hit her second home run of the season to put Hofstra in front by three.
Towson's Mackenzie Lake hit a solo home run to left center in the top of the fourth inning to cut into the Pride's lead, but an RBI single in the bottom half of the inning put the lead right back to three runs for the home side. Hofstra ended the game with a five-run sixth inning to take the first of Friday's twin bill. After the Pride loaded the bases on an
Olivia Malinowski single, a Collins walk, and a Manto bunt single, Giordano once again came through with a bases-clearing double, bringing home all three Hofstra baserunners to make the score 7-1. Giordano came home on an Ioppolo double, and Ioppolo advanced to third on a Morse single. Hofstra scored the final run of the game on a wild pitch, allowing Ioppolo to cross home for the run-rule win.
Julia Apsel pitched a complete game and got the win with three strikeouts against four hits and one run. Brianna and
Alanna Morse led the Pride with three hits against the Tigers, while Giordano drove in five runs.
Game #2: Towson 12, Hofstra 5
The Tigers opened the game with a two-run first inning on a bases loaded single, but Hofstra responded in the bottom of the first with five runs to take a three-run lead over visiting Towson. After Collins drew a lead-off walk, Manto arrived safely at first but advanced to second on a Towson throwing error, allowing Collins to safely reach third. Giordano drove in her sixth RBI of the day with a sacrifice fly out to right field, scoring Collins and advancing Manto to third. Manto would score on a perfectly executed bunt by Ioppolo to tie the game at 2-2. With two runners on after a
Brianna Morse single,
Becca Vaillancourt put the Pride in the lead with an RBI single through the gap into left field, scoring Ioppolo. The lead grew to two on an error by the Towson second baseman, allowing Ioppolo to cross home plate, and
Gianna Iaquinto made it a three-run Hofstra lead on a sacrifice fly to deep center, scoring Vaillancourt.
After three scoreless innings, Towson scored an unearned run on a Hofstra throwing error to make it a 5-3 ballgame. The Tigers broke the game open with a six-run sixth inning, putting Towson ahead 9-5 on three earned and three unearned runs. The guests added to their lead with a three-run seventh inning, while Hofstra was unable to mount a comeback before the final out.
Hofstra picked up seven hits in the second game from Collins, Manto, Giordano, Ioppolo,
Brianna Morse, Vaillancourt, and Iaquinto, while Collins drew two walks. Nikki Mullen got the start in game two and pitched five innings with four strikeouts against nine hits and five runs allowed.
Annabella Pisapia was credited with the loss with three walks and four runs allowed in the sixth inning. Apsel,
Marisa Ogden, and
Anna Butler also made appearances in the game, with Butler striking out two Towson batters.
The rubber match is scheduled for Saturday (Apr. 8) at 1 p.m. from Bill Edwards Stadium.
NOTES:
-Hofstra is now 78-23 all-time against Towson.
-Giordano hit her CAA-leading 12th home run of the season, and her fifth home run from Bill Edwards Stadium.
-Butler's strikeouts were the first of her Hofstra career.
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Brianna Morse's three-hit game in game one was her second three-hit game of the season and the third of her career.
