Hempstead, NY – For the 13th time in program history, and the first time since 2018, the Hofstra softball team has lifted the Colonial Athletic Association Championship trophy. The third-seed in the tournament, Hofstra earned a 5-4 walk-off win over fifth-seeded Towson from Bill Edwards Stadium. The Pride won the first elimination game, 6-4, giving Towson its first loss of the tournament and forcing the final elimination game of the five-day, 13-game tournament.
 
Hofstra improves its record to 29-25 following two wins on the final day of the CAA Championship. The walk-off win earns the Pride the CAA's automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Softball Championship, and they will find their seeding and opponents during the NCAA Selection Show on Sunday (May 14) at 7 p.m. on ESPN2.
 
Trailing by one with two outs and the bases loaded, Angelina Ioppolo lifted a 1-1 pitch just over the outstretched glove of Towson shortstop Mackenzie Lake and into the outfield. Kasey Collins scored the tying run from third, and the speedy Chelsea Manto easily beat the throw home to send the team and the Hofstra fans in attendance into celebrations with the walk-off victory.
 
After a scoreless inning for both teams and following Nikki Mullin preventing any runs from crossing home in the top of the second, Aliya Catanzarita led off the bottom half of the inning with a home run that just stayed fair, giving the Pride the early 1-0 lead. After Towson put a runner on second with two outs, Lake smacked a two-run home run over the left field wall to give the Tigers a 2-1 lead.
 
Meghan Giordano stepped into the batter's box to lead off the fourth inning and she blasted a solo home run to dead center field, tying the game at 2-2 with her second home run of the CAA Championship. Following a scoreless fifth inning for the Pride and the Tigers, Towson loaded the bases with two outs, and they scored the go-ahead run on a five-pitch walk to Ally Hickman, and the Tigers added a second run of the inning on an infield single, putting the score at 4-2. The Pride refused to back down and, after they put runners on first and second with two outs, Becca Vaillancourt dropped a bloop single into the outfield on an 0-2 pitch, scoring Catanzarita and cutting Towson's lead to one run.
 
After Julia Apsel retired the side in the top of the seventh inning, Brianna Morse smacked a deep double to left center, and Oliva Malinowski drew a pinch-hit walk. Collins followed that up with her second single of the contest, loading the bases with no outs. Towson recorded force outs at home in consecutive at-bats, setting the stage for Ioppolo's walk-off heroics.
 
In the first elimination game, Hofstra scored two in the opening inning on a SAC fly and a fielder's choice. After Towson cut the lead to one in the second inning, Hofstra responded in the third with an RBI single by Catanzarita to put Hofstra's advantage back to two runs. Following a Towson run in the sixth inning, Giordano drove a 1-0 pitch over the wall in left center for her first home run of the CAA Championship, bringing three across home plate to make it a 6-2 ballgame in the seventh. Towson made it close with a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh, but Mullin picked up the save by recording the final two outs.
 
Apsel was the winner in both games today, giving her 10 wins on the season, while Mullin earned her fourth save of the season in game one. Collins went a combined 5-8 in both games, while Giordano drove in nine RBIs, and Catanzarita scored two RBIs and hit one of Hofstra's two doubles on the day.
 
Giordano was named the Most Outstanding Performer of the Colonial Athletic Association Championship, and was joined on the All-Tournament Team by Apsel, Catanzarita, and Collins.
 
NOTES:
-Giordano's two home runs on the day puts her at 15 for the season, the fourth-most in a season in Hofstra softball history.
-Having previously won four CAA Championships at Bill Edwards Stadium as a player (2002-05) and two as an assistant coach (2012-13), Head Softball Coach Adrienne Clark has now won seven CAA Championships at Bill Edwards Stadium.
-Giordano and Collins have now reached base in 21 consecutive games each, and Giordano extends her hitting streak to eight consecutive games.
-Hofstra is now 80-25 all-time against Towson. Hofstra snapped a three-game losing streak against the Tigers.