The Hofstra University softball team beat the Drexel University Dragons 5-3 in the last game of their three-game series on Sunday, March 17. The Pride improved to 6-12 overall and 4-2 in the Coastal Athletic Association while the Dragons fell to 5-13 and 2-3 in the CAA.
Hofstra got the bats going, pouring on three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. After a pinch-hit double by Gabriella Sultan, pinch hitter Chelsea Villar also knocked in Alanna Morse from third with a ground out to the pitcher.
Becca Vaillancourt then demolished a pitch down the left field line, giving the Pride a 4-0 lead headed into the sixth inning. Timely hitting had been an Achilles’ heel for Hofstra earlier in the season, but they found a way to cash in today.
“I think we did a better job of making adjustments,” said Hofstra head coach Adrienne Clark. “I think we went up there with a more aggressive approach in a lot of our at-bats and the combination of being able to draw walks and get some timely hitting is a result of being aggressive.”
A pinch-hit RBI isn’t a first-time occurrence for Villar. Clark has called her number twice this season, and she’s found a way to come up clutch in those moments.
“She is such a fierce hitter, she’s got so much power and she’s working through trying to showcase that,” Clark said. “But what I can say about her is that she competes, and she competes really hard. When she went up there, she made it happen. Being able to get some situational hitting, knowing what we need to be able to get a run in, she did it both times. So, it was pretty, pretty impressive.”
Grace Abbonizio put Drexel back in the game as she singled to center field. Izzy Alamillo then successfully moved Abbonizio over to second with a sacrifice bunt, leaving Jackie Masone on deck.
Masone ripped a double off the base of the left field wall, scoring Abbonizio from second. Ameryn Humble followed up with a single to right-center, bringing Masone around to score the second run of the inning. With two outs and runners on corners in the top of the sixth, Lindsey Hunt singled to left field, scoring Humble from third, cutting into the deficit and making the score 4-3.
Hofstra’s ace, Julia Apsel, pitched her fifth complete game of the season, but she hit a speed bump in the sixth. Even though she surrendered three runs in the inning, Clark never had any intentions of taking her out of the game.
“When you see things like that happen and hits like that happen, the way that the ball was still coming out of her hand told me that she was fine,” Clark said. “The type of hits that [Drexel] was getting also told me that she was fine and she’d figured it out.”
Villar came up clutch once again as she added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth, reaching on a fielder’s choice that scored Morse from third.
This series win makes it back-to-back CAA series victories to kick off conference play for Hofstra. Even with a losing overall record, the Pride are fourth in the CAA standings due to these two series wins.
“The confidence level for this team is there,” Clark said. “I have no doubt that we will continue to learn and grow from each series. We have a very young but impressionable team; as long as we keep learning and growing each series, we will continue to put ourselves in position to win.”
Hofstra is back in action on Tuesday, March 19, as they take on the University of Maryland, Baltimore County on the road. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.
Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics/Matteo Bracco
