New Britain, CT – The Hofstra softball team took one of two games in a non-conference doubleheader against Central Connecticut State on Wednesday. The Pride won the first game 10-2 in five innings before dropping a 10-9 decision to the Blue Devils in the second game, putting Hofstra at 13-14 overall and Central Connecticut State at 11-9 following the doubleheader.
Hofstra took advantage of a fielding error by the centerfielder in the second inning to score two runs before
Gabby Sultan laced a double to score
Gemma D'Orazio and make it a 3-0 lead. Sultan recorded her second RBI of the game in the top of the fourth to put the lead at four runs, followed by a
Nicole Cancel double to drive in two runs, and another two runs would score after
Chelsea Villar tripled and crossed home plate after a second Blue Devil error of the contest put the Pride ahead by eight.
Alanna Morse blasted a two-run home run to left in the fifth to give Hofstra a 10-0 lead. Central Connecticut State put two on the scoreboard in the bottom of the inning, but
Emma Falen got the final out of the game via her ninth strikeout of the day.
Villar carried over the offensive output into the second game with an RBI single in the first inning, and another trio of Hofstra runs came in the third inning to give the Pride a 4-0 lead. The Blue Devils doubled home a run in the bottom of the third inning to cut the Pride lead to three, but Hofstra drove in three runs in the fourth courtesy of doubled by Sultan and Palacio to put the score at 7-3. Central Connecticut State responded in their half of the fourth inning with three runs, cutting Hofstra's advantage to two runs. Morse singled home
Kimmya Sims in the fifth to make it an 8-5 score, but the hosts tied the score at 8-8 with three unearned runs in the bottom of the fifth. After a scoreless sixth inning for both sides, Morse came through again with an RBI single in the top of the seventh, scoring pinch runner
Emily Jovel to make it a 9-8 contest. However, with runners on first and second in the bottom of the seventh, the hosts picked up the walk-off win on a two-run double.
Morse and Sultan both drove in four RBIs each, with Sultan recording four hits and Morse tallying three. In the circle,
Casey McKeon was credited with the loss after pitching two innings and striking out two batters, while
Madison Steppe pitched three innings as the starter.
Jillian Locher pitched an inning for the Pride, and
Kailyn Haig also saw action against the Blue Devils.
Hofstra returns to Long Island to host a three-game CAA series against Drexel, beginning on Friday at 5 p.m. from FSC Softball Complex on the campus of Farmingdale State College.
NOTES:
-Hofstra is now 11-5 all-time against Central Connecticut State.
-Sultan has had a double in five of her last six games.
-Villar stole her fifth base of the second in the first inning of the second game.
-The Pride outhit Central Connecticut State 20-12 across both games.
