The Hofstra University softball team was shut out 2-0 against Stony Brook University on Sunday, April 27, in the rubber game of the series. The Pride now fall to 0.500 in conference play with a record of 12-12. Hofstra is still in possession of the final Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) tournament spot, but UNC-Wilmington (UNCW) is just one game behind the Pride in conference standings with a record of 11-13.
Despite knocking six hits on the day, the Pride struggled with runners on base, stranding a total of 10 baserunners. The Pride went 0-6 with runners in scoring position and just 2-11 with runners on. Hofstra also had three untimely errors, two of which snowballed into an eventual run.
Gabrielle Maday dealt the shutout by tossing seven innings, striking out six batters and allowing no runs. Carley Ernst was tagged with the loss after five innings of work, allowing seven hits and two runs.
Mia Vannelli laced a double for the only RBI on the day. CAA batting average leader Kyra McFarland put traffic on the bases, going 2-3 at the plate and scoring a run.
Stony Brook took the early lead in the bottom of the first inning on two early errors. Leadoff hitter McFarland singled down the left field line and advanced to second on an overthrow. Nicole Allen rolled over to second and moved McFarland to third base, which allowed her to score on an error by Nicole Cancel in the next at bat. Ernst then allowed a hit to Emily Reinstein but got out of the inning, just allowing one unearned run.
The Pride loaded the bases with just one out in the second inning, but their efforts were fruitless. Lily Yepez hit a soft grounder, and a shallow infield got the lead runner at home. Maday then struck out Chelsea Villar to end the threat.
The Pride continued to strand baserunners in the third inning. Dahlia Palacio and Mackenzie Fitzgerald each hit back-to-back two out singles, but Maday continued to shut down the Pride when it mattered, striking out Tyler Douglas.
In the fourth, the Pride once again had an opportunity to score with back-to-back two out singles from Yepez and Villar but Maday rose to the challenge, striking out a red-hot Anna Butler.
The Seawolves added a run in the bottom of the fifth inning, allowing Alyssa Costello to hit a hard ground ball to short stop, giving her an infield single. Costello advanced to second on Allen’s groundout to second, setting up Vannelli for an RBI double to left field.
In a last-ditch effort to tie the game, the Pride remained unable to score on Maday. Villar reached on an infield single, and Butler was brought aboard on a fielder’s choice. Hofstra continued to face problems with runners on. The final two Pride batters were retired, and Maday completed the shutout for her seventh win in the circle this season.
Hofstra still has an opportunity to make the CAA tournament despite two consecutive series losses. Hunting for the final tournament spot, Hofstra played against Monmouth University on Thursday, May 1. The first pitch was scheduled for 5 p.m.
