The Hofstra University softball team handed the University of Delaware their first Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) loss of the season in a 10-6 ballgame on Friday, March 21, at Bill Edwards Stadium. This marks the third consecutive win for the Pride and moves them to a 5-19 overall record on the season.
Despite three Fightin’ Blue Hens’ home runs, the Hofstra offense was able to lace 10 hits. Multiple Hofstra bats helped propel the Pride to victory. Sophia Polzella notched three RBIs on the day from a 2-2 campaign at the plate. Alanna Morse and Nicole Cancel each added two RBIs and had one hit.
Emma Falen earned her third win in the circle, working five innings, allowing six hits and four earned runs while striking out six. Falen gave up two Delaware home runs and had a rocky fourth inning but was able to limit the damage.
Carley Ernst came out of the bullpen and earned her third consecutive save for the Pride. Ernst posted two innings of work, allowing two hits and one earned run off a home run.
Delaware struck early with a first-inning home run from Sydney Shaffer, her first of the night. The Pride answered in the bottom of the first with two runs. Leadoff hitter Chelsea Villar got things started with a double to left field and advanced to third on a groundout from Dahlia Palacio. Anna Butler reached first on a drop third strike call, which brought home the first Hofstra run. A Blue Hens error and walk to Gemma D’Orazio loaded the bases, allowing a Polzella hit by a pitch to bring in another run.
Delaware tied the game in the third inning with the second Blue Hens home run of the game from Katie Scheivert.
Hofstra exposed the Delaware defense and took the lead again in the bottom of the third. Morse reached first safely on an error, setting the table for an RBI double from D’Orazio.
The Blue Hens rallied in the fourth, adding two. Morgan Hess was brought abroad on a fielder’s choice and Ellie Talley put two runners in scoring position on a double to center field. Sorella Gallucci wore a pitch to load the bases and Kristen Luzon brought home two runs on a single.
With patience at the plate and hits, Hofstra pulled ahead with a three-spot in the bottom of the fourth. Villar walked and Palacio put her in scoring position with a single. Butler loaded the bases with a walk, allowing Morse to drive in two runs on a single up the middle. Back-to-back hit by pitches of D’Orazio and Polzella brought in the final run of the inning.
Hofstra continued to exploit the Delaware defense in the fifth inning, allowing Palacio to score on an error.
Delaware tried to claw back with a bases-loaded opportunity but could only put up one run off a ground out by Scheivert.
The Pride continued to drive in runs, putting up another three spots in the sixth. Olivia Malinowski, D’Orazio, and Polzella strung together hits and brought in a run. Cancel brought in the other two runs on a single to right field.
Delaware put up a seventh-inning effort with Schaffer’s second home run but fell short of a rally.
The Pride looked to take game two of the series to the Blue Hens on Saturday, March 22. First pitch was scheduled for 1 p.m.
