Fairfield, CT – Facing a one-run deficit on its final out of the game, the Hofstra softball team generated four runs in the top of the seventh inning to post a 5-3 come-from-behind win over hosts Fairfield in a Tuesday non-conference contest. Hofstra improves to 23-18 overall with the win, and the loss drops Fairfield to 18-19 on the season.
After a one-out walk and single put runners on the corners for Fairfield in the bottom of the second inning, Cara Kochakian beat the throw home on a fielder's choice bunt to score the opening run and put the Stags ahead by one, and the host's lead grew to two runs with a SAC fly RBI in the fourth inning.
Lily Yepez clawed a run back for the Pride in the top of the fifth with a bloop single, scoring
Gemma D'Orazio from third.
In the top of the seventh inning, Yepez came through with a one-out triple to right center, but Hofstra was quickly down to its final out after a groundout to the pitcher by
Alanna Morse.
Dahlia Palacio stepped to the plate and sent the first pitch she saw all the way to the wall in right center to easily score Yepez and even the score at 2-2. Palacio advanced to third on a fielding error by the Fairfield shortstop, and
Ryleigh Smith gave Hofstra the lead with an RBI single to shallow right field while advancing
Chelsea Villar to third. Villar would score on a wild pitch to make it 4-2, and an RBI single to center by
Mackenzie Fitzgerald gave the Pride a three-run cushion. Fairfield threatened to reverse the comeback with an RBI double to cut the Pride lead to two with two outs, but
Madison Steppe forced a pop up to Morse at shortstop for the third and final out of the game.
Yepez led Hofstra with two of the team's six hits. In the circle, Steppe went the distance and struck out seven Fairfield batters for her 10th win of the season.
Hofstra will face Stony Brook in a CAA series in Western Long Island, beginning on Friday at 3 p.m.
NOTES:
-Hofstra improves to 6-0 all-time against Fairfield. This is the Pride's first meeting against the Stags since March 15, 2014.
-This is Hofstra's first win this season when trailing after six innings.
-This is the ninth complete game performance by Steppe, and this her seventh game this season with at least five strikeouts.
-Four of Hofstra's six hits came in the seventh inning.
