In the second day of action at the Lakeside Book Company Invitational, a four-run sixth inning propelled the Hofstra University softball team to an 8-5 comeback victory over the University at Buffalo on Saturday, Feb. 28.
Madison Steppe fanned a career-high 10 batters in her first career win. Blasts from both Nicole Cancel and Gemma D’Orazio pushed the Pride to victory. Cancel had a career day, ripping her first collegiate home run and a career-best three RBI.
Buffalo’s starting pitcher Olivia Russ and Steppe each allowed two baserunners in the first frame but got out of early trouble.
The Pride continued to pressure Russ in the second inning and cashed in after a first inning of traffic. Sophomore Victoria Frobosilo doubled to center field to lead off the inning. Cancel knocked her first career home run to center field to put the Pride up 2-0 in the second inning.
Steppe dealt two walks in the bottom of the inning but got out of trouble, striking out two batters.
The Pride continued to tack on in the third inning. Dahlia Palacio worked her second walk of the day, and Chelsea Villar was able to capitalize on an error by right fielder Emily Gorman that moved both baserunners into scoring position. Mackenzie Fitzgerald made the Bulls pay for their error, ripping an RBI double to the left-center field gap to give the Pride a 3-0 cushion.
Buffalo finally got to Hofstra’s rookie pitcher in the bottom half of the third inning. Reagan Terwilliger was brought aboard on a walk and caused chaos on the basepaths, swiping second and taking third on a misplay by shortstop Alanna Morse. Steppe continued to face struggles finding the strike zone, hitting Bella Smithson. Miranda Zipp was brought in as a pinch runner for Smithson and immediately made an impact, stealing second. Ardyn Hopf knocked in a run on a sacrifice fly to left field to cut the deficit to two runs.
The Bulls put up a four-run fourth, as Steppe’s control issues continued. She walked Ava Thelen and hit Tabithia von Kolen by pitch. Steppe gave up back-to-back hits to Gorman and Terwilliger to knot the score at three apiece. Emma Falen, the typical day one starter, who took a day off during the Friday slate, relieved Steppe. Terwilliger took second, and the Pride intentionally walked Smithson. Falen could not find the strike zone early against Bri Delaney and walked in a run. Hopf ripped another sacrifice fly to give the Bulls the 5-3 lead.
After a 1-2-3 fifth inning, the Bulls looked to add on against a struggling Falen. Thelen and von Kolen each worked a walk, prompting Steppe to re-enter the pitcher’s circle. After rest, Steppe looked sharp, striking out the two batters she faced to bail Falen out of trouble and end the inning.
D’Orazio started the fight back for the Pride in the sixth inning, ripping the second home run of her sophomore season to left field. Cancel successfully bunted, advanced to second on Lily Yepez’s bunt attempt and stole third. Morse worked a walk and stole second to set up Palacio’s two RBI single through the right side. Gabby Sultan kept the offense alive for Hofstra, knocking a double down the right field line to score Palacio. Villar kept the inning alive, working a full count walk, but bullpen pitcher Genevieve Longsdorf stopped the bleeding for the Bulls.
The Pride continued to do damage in the final inning when D’Orazio worked a walk and used her speed to steal her first bag of the season. She took third on a wild pitch, which allowed Cancel to cash in on her third RBI of the day on a sacrifice fly.
The Pride looked to make it a two-win day, facing James Madison University for the second game of the doubleheader.
