Austin, TX – The Hofstra softball team went 0-2 in Saturday's doubleheader from Red & Carline McCombs Field in the second day of the Longhorn Invitational from Austin, Texas. Hofstra drops to 2-9 on the year with a 4-1 loss to Penn State, followed by a 13-0 defeat against Texas in five innings.
Texas is the No. 2 team in the country in the latest NFCA Coaches Poll, and Penn State received votes in the national coaches poll.
Game #1: Penn State 4, Hofstra 1
Hofstra got on the board first in the second inning thanks to an RBI single by
Kayla Wilson. After
Olivia Malinowski doubled with one out, Wilson hit a bloop single into the gap in the outfield, and the ball took an awkward bounce off a Penn State fielder to allow Malinowski to round the bases and score.
After a scoreless third inning, the Nittany Lions knotted up the score at 1-all with an RBI double in the fourth inning, and they pulled in front with a two-run sixth inning on a pair of two-out base hits, including an RBI triple. Penn State tacked on an insurance run in the seventh inning.
In addition to Wilson and Malinowski,
Chelsea Manto,
Gabriella Sultan, and
Chelsea Villar all picked up hits for the Pride.
Julia Apsel pitched 6.1 innings and struck out three Penn State batters while picking up the loss with three runs allowed.
Anna Butler and
Annabella Pisapia pitched one out in the final inning each.
Game #2: Texas 13, Hofstra 0 (5 inn.)
The Longhorns hung seven on the Pride in the first inning, followed up by six runs in the third inning to put the game out of reach for the Pride, while Texas pitchers Kavan Teagan and Sophia Simpson combined for a two-hit shutout with four strikeouts each.
Lily Yepez and McKenzie Fitzgerald recorded both of Hofstra's hits against Texas. Marissa Ogden got the start in the circle but was tagged for five runs in the first inning.
Annabella Pisapia pitched 2.1 innings of relief and picked up two strikeouts against four run allowed, while
Anna Butler pitched 1.2 innings, and
Haley Venturini made an appearance.
Hofstra closes out its stay in Texas against the Longhorns on Sunday at 11 a.m. (Eastern).
NOTES:
-This was Hofstra's first game against a Top 5 opponent since facing #5 Florida State in 2022.
-Hofstra is now 5-5 all-time against Penn State and 2-3 versus Texas.
