Philadelphia, PA – The Hofstra softball team's bats exploded against Drexel, hanging 14 runs against the Dragons in a big 14-1 win in five innings to complete the three-game series sweep in Coastal Athletic Association play on Saturday.
 
The win improves Hofstra to 11-21 overall and 8-7 in the CAA, and Drexel ends the series 2-30 overall and 2-13 in the conference.
 
Hofstra jumped out to an early lead in the first inning thanks to a two-run home run by Mackenzie Fitzgerald, scoring herself and Dahlia Palacio. Gemma D'Orazio made it back-to-back homers with a solo shot to left to make it 3-0, and Nicole Cancel drove in two with a double to the wall in center field, and Chelsea Villar finished the inning with an RBI single to put the Pride ahead 6-0. Kylah Reading prevented a shutout loss with an RBI single in the bottom of the first for Drexel's only run of the game.
 
An RBI double by Alanna Morse in the second inning put the score at 7-1 to Hofstra, and four Hofstra runs on a two-run double by Villar, an RBI single from D'Orazio, and an RBI single from Morse made it an 11-1 game after three innings. After Tyler Douglas and Villar reached base, Anna Butler put an exclamation point on the commanding win with a three-run homer to center field in the fourth inning.
 
D'Orazio and Morse both tallied three hits in four at-bats with two RBIs, while Butler and Villar paced the Pride with three RBIs apiece, and Cancel tallied two doubled against Drexel. Emma Falen earned her seventh win of the season with two strikeouts against two hits and a walk in three innings from the circle, and Carley Ernst pitched two innings in relief.
 
The Pride returns to Bill Edwards Stadium for seven consecutive home games, beginning on Wednesday, April 9, at 5 p.m. against Saint Peter's.
 
NOTES:
-Hofstra is now 82-19 all-time against Drexel. Hofstra has won the last four meetings against the Dragons.
-The 14 runs are the most scored by the Pride since hanging 14 on Towson on April 3, 2021.
-Hofstra hit a season-high .484 (15-31) in today's win.
-Villar leads the team with nine multi-hit games this season.
-Hofstra is now 3-0 when hitting multiple home runs in a game.