The Hofstra University softball team dropped their series finale against Monmouth University with a score of 13-6 on Sunday, March 15. The Pride suffered their first Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) loss of the season, moving to 5-1 in conference play and 9-12 overall.
Hofstra starter Kailyn Haig was unable to record an out in the circle, allowing five earned runs on three hits and two walks.
The Hawks powered their offense with four home runs from four different hitters. Mackenzie Bloss and Tessa Thompson each hit their first of the season.
Monmouth jumped out to a five-run lead in the first inning off Haig and Madison Steppe. Dominique Lopez worked a walk to start the inning, and Kylee McLain sent a ball over the wall to put the Hawks up two. Haig walked Ella Stevinson before Steppe came in for relief and walked Bloss to place runners on first and second. With two outs, Gianna Stern cleared the bases with the second home run of the inning.
The Pride failed to score runs in the third inning after loading the bases with a walk and two singles. Gemma D’Orazio started the inning with a single after a nine-pitch at bat but was caught trying to steal second. The bases got loaded from a Lily Yepez walk and back-to-back singles from Alanna Morse and Dahlia Palacio. Gabby Sultan and Chelsea Villar both flew out to end the inning.
The lead grew to six in the third inning, as Bloss homered for the Hawks’ third home run of the game.
Hofstra answered with three runs in the top of the fourth inning to cut the deficit in half. With one out, Victoria Frobosilo walked and Cancel reached base on an error from Stern to place a runner in scoring position. D’Orazio ripped a home run to cap off the scoring for the Pride.
Monmouth responded in the bottom of the inning with two runs to extend the lead to five. Steppe recorded the first out of the fourth on one pitch but worked into trouble as the next three hitters loaded the bases. The Hawks started the merry-go-round after a walk to McLain that scored the first run of the inning. Stevinson singled to provide an 8-3 cushion.
The Pride continued to rally, scoring three runs on two hits and an error in the fifth. Sultan led off the inning with her second hit of the game. An error from Bri Lawson allowed Villar to reach first, placing runners on first and second. Mackenzie Fitzgerald reached on a fielder’s choice, allowing Kimma Sims, who appeared in the game as a pinch runner for Sultan, to reach third. Ryleigh Smith picked up an RBI with a groundout to third. Cancel hit the Pride’s second home run of the contest to make it an 8-6 ballgame.
The Hawks continued to answer with runs of their own, scoring five in the sixth inning, putting the game away for good. Clare Piccone singled and advanced to second after Liv Smith grounded out. Lopez singled on the first pitch she saw to score Piccone from second. Stevinson tacked on another run on an RBI single to score Lopez. Stevinson advanced to second and third on wild pitches and scored from Bloss on the fifth single of the inning. Thompson homered to give Monmouth a seven-run lead.
Cancel leads the Pride in home runs after hitting her fourth of the season. D’Orazio tied her career-high in RBIs in a single game with three.
The Pride stepped away from conference play and headed to New Haven, Connecticut, to face Yale University on Tuesday, March 17. First pitch from DeWitt Family Stadium was scheduled for 1 p.m.
