A leadoff homerun from Chelsea Villar and a dominant pitching performance from Emma Falen gave the Hofstra University softball team the series victory in a 9-1 mercy rule game against the UNC-Wilmington (UNCW) on Sunday, April 13. Heading into the rubber game of the set, the Pride and Seahawks were tied in Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) play, but the Pride left the series above the Seahawks in the standings with a record of 10-8.
Villar had a 3-3 day at the plate, ripping two singles in addition to her first inning leadoff homer and drawing an intentional walk.
“[Villar] has done such a fantastic job at controlling her game and really just locking in making adjustments in at bats pitch to pitch and even game to game,” said Hofstra head coach Adrienne Clark.
Anna Butler finished the day 2-3 with two doubles, totaling four RBIs and ending the game via mercy rule with a two RBI double. Dahlia Palacio finished the series with four doubles, including a two-run double off Seahawk’s starting pitcher Taylor Barlow.
Falen worked six innings in the circle, allowing just four hits and two earned runs while striking out four, earning her ninth win of the season. After the 13 innings on the mound across the series to the Seahawks, Falen now has a 3.4 ERA across 105 innings.
“When [Falen] locks into the things she can control and just throws her game, spinning her best stuff and hitting her spots, she really is hard to hit,” Clark said.
Falen allowed just one hit, a leadoff single to Cassidy Relay, across her first 11 batters faced.
The Pride got ahead early with Villar’s home run and did more damage in the bottom of the third, putting up a three spot. Lily Yepez started the rally with a walk and advanced to second on a long Villar single to the centerfield wall. Butler drove in both baserunners on a double in the left center field gap. Makayla Huddleston came in relief and allowed two runs to cross the plate from a two RBI double from Palacio, her team-leading 16th two-bagger of the season.
Falen allowed her first and only run in the top of the fourth. Maggie Pertee led off with a single and Maddison Biddle then worked a walk, and singles from Pertee and Allison Corbin brought Pertee home.
The Pride put the mercy rule into effect in the bottom of the sixth with a four-run inning. Pinch hitter Olivia Malinowski started the inning off with a leadoff walk while Nicole Cancel laced an RBI double into centerfield. Yepez kept the offensive momentum flowing with a single that advanced Cancel to third and Yepez to second on a throwing error. Villar’s day at the plate warranted an intentional walk, setting up Butler with the game finishing two RBI double, which brought the mercy rule into action.
The Pride will host the College of Charleston for a three-game series at Bill Edward’s Stadium starting on Friday, April 18. Charleston is just atop the Pride in CAA standings with a record of 12-8. The first pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.