Wilmington, NC - An hour after being sent into the elimination bracket of the 2024 CAA Softball Championship, the Hofstra softball team bounced back with a 6-0 win over Elon to advance to the next day. #6 Hofstra improves to 22-25, and #5 Elon's season ends with a 23-29 record.

Hofstra jumped out in front of the Phoenix early through an RBI single by Aliya Catanzarita, scoring Kayla Wilson from second to give the Pride a 1-0 lead. Hofstra added to its lead in the third inning  on a fielder's choice play on a groundout by Chelsea Villar to make it 2-0, and they made it 3-0 when Catanzarita slid home on a wild pitch in the same inning.

After Hofstra was held scoreless and hitless for two innings, the Pride put runners on first and second early in the sixth inning as Kayla Wilson drew a lead-off walk and Becca Vaillancourt singled to left. After Olivia Malinowski struck out, Catanzarita sent the first pitch she saw clear of the wall in left center to double Hofstra's lead to 6-0 over the Phoenix. 

After Julia Apsel limited Elon to three hits while recording eight punchouts in 5.0 innings, Annabella Pisapia pitched the final two innings and kept the Phoenix scoreless despite allowing a pair of hits in the seventh inning to advance the Pride to Wednesday with the win.

Catanzarita drove in four RBIs and recorded three hits in four at-bats. Wilson stole her second base of the season after leading-off the opening inning with a hit, and she crossed home safely twice.

Hofstra will return to the diamond at Boseman Field at 5 p.m. on Thursday, May 9. The Pride will face the lower-seeded loser of the #1 Campbell-#4 UNCW and #2 Delaware-#3 Stony Brook games.

NOTES:
-Hofstra is now 15-7 all-time against Elon.
-Chelsea Manto recorded the 200th hit of her career.
-Catanzarita has hit three home runs and driven in 10 RBIs from Boseman Field this season.