By Max Sass, Sports Editor

The Hofstra Pride softball team is off to a hot start to the 2010 season beneath the warmth of the Florida sunshine. The Pride is 5-0 and won the LaQuinta Inn Tournament. The Pride is rebounding from a mediocre 2009 season by its standards, having not won the CAA for the first time since 1998.

Freshman pitcher Olivia Galati led the Pride in the tournament. Galati clinched the championship by throwing a three-hitter against South Florida. Galati went 3-0 in the tournament, including giving up only four hits in her college debut. 

“Olivia as a freshman came out and had a very good start to her career,” said head coach Bill Edwards.

Sophomore pitcher Erin Wade is splitting pitching duties with Galati. Wade struck out 10 of the 48 batters she faced in the tournament. “Erin we know can do it,” said Edwards. “It is just a matter of her getting the experience in big games that she did not get last year.”

Despite the hot start the Pride is not looking too far ahead. “We only have 51 more games to go,” joked Edwards. The team looks to use those 51 games the rest of the way to return to the glory they are used to. “You hope that the returning players were dissatisfied and have a good work ethic,” Edwards said.

“We played very well,” said Edwards. “We played well in every aspect of the game. We pitched it well, played great defense and got some timely hitting.” Edwards was pleased with his team’s overall defensive play, noting that they only committed five errors in the five games.

The Pride hope to continue its stellar play in its next game at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Columbus, GA. Hofstra will face off against Virginia Tech on Friday, February 26.

(Photo Courtesy Hofstra Athletics)