The Hofstra University softball team suffered a 5-1 loss to the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) Flames on Saturday, Feb. 17. Hofstra fell to a record of 1-2 while UIC picked up its first win of the season, improving to 1-9. The Pride geared up to get back into the win column later that afternoon, but their game against Purdue University was postponed due to rain.
UIC’s Larissa Ortiz opened the scoring in the fifth inning with a single up the middle that scored two, Grace Fleming and Alannah Cran. A sacrifice fly off the bat of Larisa Villa scored Carlee Jo Clark from third base. It was 3-0 UIC after five frames of play.
Hofstra’s Olivia Malinowski got the Pride on the board in the sixth inning. With runners on the corners, Malinowski reached on fielder’s choice which scored Aliya Catanzarita from third.
Hofstra managed to cut into the deficit to bring the score to 3-1, but following a short rain delay, UIC tacked on two more runs in the seventh inning to seal the deal. Villa knocked in her second and third runs of the day with a double in the right center gap that scored Cran and Fleming.
The softball gods were in UIC’s favor all morning, as Hofstra couldn’t keep them off the base paths, even when they prevented them from scoring for the first four innings. It was only a matter of time before UIC scored, as they had someone on base every inning of the game besides the sixth.
Getting the nod from Hofstra head coach Adrienne Clark was Annabella Pisapia, as she made her first start for the Pride this season. Pisapia pitched four scoreless innings, while only allowing one hit, walking two, hitting two batters and striking out a pair.
Marisa Ogden took over for Pisapia to start the fifth inning, but her day ended early after only being able to record one out. Ogden gave up three total runs, one earned, on two hits and a walk.
Haley Venturini entered the game in the fifth and pitched for the second day in a row. Venturini surrendered two earned runs on a pair of walks and one hit but struck out one over 2.2 innings of work.
UIC pitcher Christina Toniolo improved to 1-1 on the season after going the distance in this game. Toniolo surrendered one run on six hits and one walk while fanning five Hofstra batters.
Even though the Pride lost this game, they managed to outhit UIC. It was the timely hitting by UIC that decided this one. Hofstra’s Chelsea Manto stayed hot at the plate, as she went two-for-four. Catanzarita, Becca Vaillancourt, Mackenzie Fitzgerald and Kayla Wilson all recorded hits for the Pride.
Hofstra is back at the diamond on Sunday, Feb. 18, at 11:30 a.m. against Purdue. Due to the rainout that occurred on Saturday, the Pride will not play the University of South Florida this weekend.
Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics/Chris Henry
