Hempstead, NY – Behind a four-run second inning and six strikeouts by Julia Apsel, the No. 3 seed Hofstra softball team opened its stay at the 2023 Colonial Athletic Association Softball Championship with a 5-2 victory over Long Island rival Stony Brook on a picturesque Wednesday afternoon from Bill Edwards Stadium.
 
The win puts the Pride at 25-24 overall on the year, and the No. 7 seed Seawolves fall to 26-26 as they move into the loser's bracket of the double-elimination conference tournament.
 
After a scoreless first inning, Hofstra saw Angelina Ioppolo and Aliya Catanzarita draw back-to-back walks to open the second inning. With runners on first and second, Becca Vaillancourt sent a 2-2 pitch into the gap in right center for a double, scoring Ioppolo and Catanzarita to put the Pride on top 2-0. Following an Alanna Morse walk and a Madison McKevitt bunt that advanced both runners, Kayla Wilson scored Vaillancourt with a sacrifice flyout to center field, and Kasey Collins sent a single into left field to score Morse and make it a 4-0 lead.
 
Stony Brook made it a three-run deficit with a run on a double steal in the top of the third inning, but Hofstra responded in the bottom half of the inning when Meghan Giordano scored on a throwing error by the Stony Brook catcher on a slow dribbler by Catanzarita. Apsel limited Stony Brook to five total base runners following the third inning while striking out three opposing batters along the way. Stony Brook added a run in the top of the seventh on a bases-loaded RBI with the bases loaded, but Apsel didn't waver as she forced a flyout to end the game and give Hofstra the postseason win.
 
Apsel earned her eighth win of the season with a complete game, six-strikeout performance, tying a career-high for the junior pitcher. Collins, Giordano, Vaillancourt, Morse, and McKevitt tallied each of Hofstra's five hits, while Vaillancourt drove in two runs to lead the team.
 
The Pride continues its CAA Championship run on Thursday, May 11, against No. 2 seed UNCW (23-25) in the winner's bracket. First pitch against the Seahawks is set for 2:30 p.m.
 
NOTES:
-This was Hofstra's first win in a CAA Softball Championship since the championship game of the 2018 CAA Championship.
-Hofstra improves its all-time record over Stony Brook to 20-7. Hofstra has won the last four meetings against the Seawolves.
-Vaillancourt tallied two RBIs in a game for the second time this season.
-Collins and Giordano reached base safely for the 16th consecutive game each.