After splitting a doubleheader the previous day, the Hofstra Pride softball team was victorious on Saturday, April 22, winning the rubber match of a three-game series with the Elon University Phoenix 8-2 at Bill Edwards Stadium.
“I thought it was a huge win for us,” said Hofstra head coach Adrienne Clark. “We’ve been battling so hard in every game, and this game was no different. Honestly, I’m so proud of the team in how hard they are fighting and how committed they are to figuring it out.”
The Pride improved to a Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) record of 12-6, with an overall record of 20-23 in 2023. The Phoenix is now 11-6 in CAA play with an 18-23 overall record this season. Hofstra leads the overall series 14-7.
Julia Apsel, who had pitched in game one of the doubleheader the previous day, had a very strong performance for Hofstra. She went the full seven innings of the game, striking out six Elon hitters and giving up five hits and two unearned runs for her fifth win of the season.
“[Apsel] is really finding her groove,” Clark said. “She’s staying within herself. She doesn’t get flustered by things. She’s really figuring out how to better locate her pitches and spin them through the zone. When she does that, she’s so hard to hit.”
McKenna McCard, who also pitched in the doubleheader for Elon, was handed her fourth loss of the season. She gave up five earned runs to the Pride hitters while only striking out two.
Elon got started at the top of the first inning. After Drew Menscer reached first base on a throwing error by Apsel, Allee Seering took a 1-0 pitch from Apsel out to dead center field for a no-doubt two-run home run, her fourth of the season.
Hofstra struck right back in the bottom of the first. Back-to-back singles by Kasey Collins and Chelsea Manto got the inning started, followed up by a fly out to right field by Meghan Giordano that advanced Collins to third.
After Manto stole second base, Angelina Ioppolo grounded into a fielder’s choice, where everyone ended up safe, scoring the run. Manto scored on a sacrifice fly by Becca Vaillancourt. Hofstra then took the lead with the next hitter, as Brianna Morse hit an RBI single to make it 3-2.
The Pride made it a 4-2 ballgame in the bottom of the second inning, when Giordano hit an RBI single to right-center field, bringing Manto home. Hofstra didn’t score again until the bottom of the fifth inning when Aliya Catanzarita came off the bench to pinch-hit and hit a single to left-center field, scoring Ioppolo.
Hofstra put the game away in the bottom of the sixth. With runners on second and third, Ioppolo hit another RBI single into right field, bringing home Manto to make it 6-2. After Vaillancourt was hit by the first pitch thrown by reliever Kaitlin King, a bases-loaded walk and groundout made it 8-2.
Manto extended her on-base streak to 14 games. She also stole two bases, putting her at 22 on the season. Manto leads the CAA in that category and has a five-stolen base lead in the conference.
The Pride returns to action against the Sharks of Long Island University on Wednesday, April 26. The road game in Brookeville, New York, is at 3 p.m.
Photo courtesy of Rob Cuni
