The Hofstra University softball team lost to the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) Retrievers, 10-2 on Tuesday, March 19. The game ended after 5.1 innings of play due to the run-ahead rule. Since Hofstra was trailing by eight runs after five or more equal innings, the game was declared over by the umpires.
The Pride fell to 6-13 overall while UMBC improved to 9-9.
This game got out of hand early, as the Retrievers got eight runs in the first two innings. With two outs in the first inning and runners on the corners, Ashley Della Guardia ripped a base-clearing double to center field, giving her team a 2-0 lead.
Moments later, Lyndsey Evix homered to left field as Della Guardia came around to score, capping off the four-run inning for UMBC.
Hofstra couldn’t get off the field once again, as Emily Riggs hit a three-run home run to left center. Della Guardia drove in another on a single to right field, as Jerzie Nutile came around to score and give the Retrievers an 8-1 lead.
The Pride managed to get on the scoreboard twice as Chelsea Villar landed a two-out double down the right field line. Kayla Wilson followed that up with an RBI single to left center, giving Hofstra their first run of the ballgame.
Anna Butler got the nod from Hofstra head coach Adrienne Clark, but her day ended after 1.2 innings of work. Over the course of the start, she allowed eight runs on eight hits and fanned one batter. Marisa Ogden came in relief for Butler in the second inning and surrendered two runs, six hits and struck out three over 3.2 innings of work.
The Pride were out-hit 15 to four in the loss. Alanna Morse was credited with two of the four hits, as she had a two-for-three day at the plate and one run scored. This was Morse’s first multi-hit game of the season.
Nutile was perfect at the dish for UMBC, going 4-4. Nutile also knocked in three runs of her own, while coming around herself to score twice.
Other than Nutile, three other Retrievers had multi-hit games. Ella Squaires went three-for-four and Della Guardia and Amya Lundy both went two-for-three.
Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics/Matteo Bracco
