Charlottesville, VA – On the second day of the Party at Palmer Invitational, hosted by Virginia, the Hofstra softball team dropped contests to Cornell and Virginia. Hofstra is now 1-12 overall following the day's games, while Virginia improves to 14-5 and Cornell is now 4-5.
Hofstra opened the day with a 17-0 loss in five innings to Virginia, who are ranked #25 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll and are receiving votes in the NFCA/GoRout poll. In the second game of the day versus Cornell, the Pride started the game off with a first inning run to take a quick lead.
Tyler Douglas reached base on an error by Cornell's shortstop, and she stole second base to put herself in prime scoring position. With two outs,
Anna Butler picked up where she left off from Friday's record-tying performance against Seton Hall with an RBI single to center field.
Cornell scored twice to take a 2-1 lead in the second inning, and they scored five runs over the next three innings to take a 7-1 lead by the fifth inning. The Pride clawed back in the bottom half of the fifth with two runs to trail Cornell by four.
Chelsea Villar was hit by a pitch and
Dahlia Palacio drove a double to left center, putting runners on second and third with only one out.
Mackenzie Fitzgerald bunted her way on base, scoring Villar and Palacio while advancing to second on the throw home.
Cornell put four runs on the board in the sixth inning to take an 11-3 lead, and Hofstra was held scoreless in the bottom of the inning.
Hofstra finished with four hits against the Big Red. Butler, Fitzgerald, Villar, and
Alanna Morse all registered hits in the game.
Carley Ernst got the start and recorded three strikeouts against the Big Red.
Hofstra concludes its Party at Palmer Invitational schedule at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday against Virginia. The game will air on ACC Next Extra.
NOTES:
-Hofstra is now 0-3 all-time against Cornell and 3-9 against Virginia.
-Villar stole the first base of her college career against Cornell.
