By Tyler McCord, Staff Writer

The Hofstra softball team helped Head Coach Bill Edwards earn his 800th win with a sweep over UNC-Wilmington this past weekend. With the sweep, Edwards (800-374-3) is one of 21 Division I coaches with 800 wins.

For the three-game series the Pride outscored the Seahawks 19-2, improving them to 35-11 and 16-1 in the Colonial Athletic Association, while the Seahawks dropped to 11-42 and 3-15 in the CAA.

“We had a lot of key components come through [for us],” said Edwards.

In the first game, Hofstra managed to score 11 runs with help from two grand slams from seniors Sara Michalowski and Krista Thorn. In the circle, sophomore Olivia Galati proved to dominate, throwing a one-hitter while striking out six in the Pride’s 11-0 win in five innings.

“She had great command,” said Edwards. “She’s just really throwing the ball well now.”

In the following game, Hofstra was powered again by home runs. Another from Michalowski, this time a two-run shot, and sophomore Tessa Ziemba immediately followed with a solo homerun.

Junior Erin Wade made her first start from coming off of a “back and rib injury” according to Edwards. Wade lasted 4.2 innings only surrendering one run off of four hits before being replaced by Galati.

“[Wade] was tired,” said Edwards. “You could see her hit the wall.”

Galati was able to bail out her teammate pitching a shutout 2.1 innings. Hofstra edged UNCW, 3-1.

The next day Galati was back to work in the circle—this time giving up one run off three hits. Ziemba hit her eighth homerun of the season and second of the series. Leadoff hitter, sophomore Rachel Senatore had two of Hofstra’s five hits as the Pride beat UNCW, 5-1. Galati earned her 25th win of the season, one shy of the school’s single season record.

After surviving the “trap weekend” according to Edwards, Hofstra will host second place Georgia State in the upcoming series starting on Friday which will determine the top seed in the CAA tournament.