The Hofstra University softball team secured a commanding 14-0 victory over Towson University as they returned to Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) play. The Pride have won seven consecutive conference games, recording five shutouts and three run-rule victories in that span.

Emma Falen was dominant in the circle, pitching her eighth complete game and notching her eighth victory of the season. Falen retired eleven batters after walking back-to-back batters in the first. 

Alanna Morse, Chelsea Villar, Nicole Cancel and Mackenzie Fitzgerald recorded multi-hit games for the Pride. Morse went 3-5 at the plate, raising her batting average to .393 and ranking her seventh in the CAA. Villar followed with a 4-4 performance. 

The Pride struck first, scoring one run in the first inning. Morse singled to right field and advanced to third on two groundouts. Villar singled up the middle, scoring Morse for the first run of the game. Ryleigh Smith singled, and Cancel reached on catcher’s interference to load the bases. Towson starter Olivia Trombley escaped trouble after Fitzgerald grounded out. 

In the third inning, the Pride strung together four runs with two outs to extend their lead to five. Villar walked and stole second to advance in scoring position and Cancel picked up an RBI single to right-center. The Pride loaded the bases for the second time after Gemma D’Orazio was hit by a pitch. Lily Yepez and Morse strung together back-to-back RBI singles to make it a 5-0 ballgame.

The game remained scoreless until the fifth inning, as the Pride scored two more runs. With runners on second and third, Yepez collected another RBI on a ground out to Briyana Wright. Morse hit next, reaching first on an error by Wright to score Kimmya Sims. 

The Pride would tack on seven more runs in the sixth inning to seal the game. Villar began the inning with a double to left field and reached third on a wild pitch. Carmella Gallagher entered the game as a pinch runner after Smith reached on a fielder’s choice. Gallagher wasted no time, swiping second for her first stolen base of the season. Cancel cleared the bases with a single and advanced to second on the throw. Fitzgerald followed with a double to score Cancel and later scored on a triple by Sims. Yepez reached first safely after laying down a bunt to the pitcher and picked up another RBI, as Sims scored. The Pride batted around in the inning, as Victoria Frobosilo reached on an error from Mackenzie Gorczyca. Villar capped the scoring with an RBI triple.

Falen shut down the Tigers in the sixth inning, striking out Addie Ferguson for her seventh strikeout of the game.

The Pride have now recorded 97 runs against CAA opponents this season, with 28 of those runs coming in the first inning. 

The Pride returned to CAA action against Towson on Saturday, April 4. First pitch from Tiger Softball Stadium was scheduled for 2 p.m.