The Hofstra University softball team beat the Fordham University Rams 7-6 in comeback fashion on Wednesday, April 24. With this win, Hofstra improved to 16-23 overall while Fordham fell to 23-23-1.
Trailing 2-0 in the first inning, the Pride’s catcher Becca Vaillancourt launched her conference-leading ninth home run over the wall in left field. Hofstra head coach Adrienne Clark spoke on Vaillancourt’s three-for-three effort at the plate.
“When you start off the game with a home run, I think it kind of sets the tone,” Clark said. “I also think that her at-bats are so competitive. She is the hardest out I think we have in our lineup, so to start the game the way that she did and carry through the entire game that way that she did, I don’t know that if I were the opposing team that I would’ve pitched to her again.”
The Pride hit three home runs in the win, including back-to-back shots in the bottom of the fifth off the bats of Aliya Catanzarita and Chelsea Villar to tie the game up at 6-6.
“Swinging at early strikes is our approach, staying in our legs and keeping our hands back,” Clark said. “One of the things I think we’ve started to turn a corner on is utilizing our body. Our strength comes from our legs, and when we can really channel the lower half and keep our hands back, really good things happen.”
Villar’s solo shot was her first in her young collegiate career.
“Man, I’ve been waiting all season for that to happen [Villar hitting a home run], Clark said. “I’m really excited that she’s starting to understand how to use her body and the power that she has. She has done nothing but be a sponge and soak everything in, so to see her get up to the plate today and just crush the ball was really cool and really hopeful that it will continue as we get into the rest of our conference play in the tournament.”
Fordham increased their 3-1 lead in the top of the third. Allie Clark reached on a fielding error by Catanzarita at first base. Gianna Sarlo reached first base safely on a 6-4 fielder’s choice that sent Clark back to the dugout for the second out of the inning. Kate McGuire doubled to left center, scoring Sarlo from first. Neleh Nogay then singled to third base, scoring McGuire from second to give Fordham a commanding 5-1 lead.
Hofstra made four errors in the field, some of which came back to bite them.
“Yeah, I think there were definitely a couple of miscues,” Clark said. “Looking the ball in, being able to stay in our legs, not trying to make a play before we’ve secured the ball, making sure that we are understanding of what our positioning is prior to the pitch. So we’ve got a couple of little fine tuning things I think that we can clean up that are very easy changes to make that we are very capable of making. So that will be the focus going into tomorrow.”
Marisa Ogden got the start for the Pride, which ended after three innings of work. Ogden surrendered five runs, three of which were earned, on nine hits. Annabella Pisapia came in as relief for Ogden and pitched four innings of one-run ball. That one run was unearned, and Pisapia surrendered three hits and two walks while fanning two as she improved to 2-2 on the season.
“It’s really awesome, you know, [Pisapia] and [Ogden] have both been working incredibly hard and making some adjustments for themselves to really elevate their game,” Clark said. “To see [Pisapia] come out of the bullpen the way that she did and get the outs when needed was pretty cool. She’s been working hard on trying to get that done; she did it, and I’m really excited to see that.”
Hofstra is back in action on Friday, April 26, in game one of their crucial three-game series against Hampton University. First pitch is set for 5 p.m.
Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics/Matteo Bracco
