Haley Venturini led the Hofstra Pride softball team with a staggering one-hit shutout while striking out 12 hitters in an 8-0 win over North Carolina A&T University Aggies.
The offense contributed to propelling the team, gathering 13 hits in the process off Amaya Kearse, who started the game for the Aggies.
With no offensive sway in the first two innings, the Pride exploded in the third starting with three straight singles from Alanna Morse, Chelsea Manto and Kasey Collins. With the bases loaded, Meghan Giordano blasted the ball over the left field fence putting four on the board for Hofstra.
Right behind her, Angelina Ioppolo doubled to center field, setting runners in scoring position for Hofstra. Then with a fielder’s choice off of Gianna Iaquinto, Ioppolo made her way home, extending their commanding lead 5-0.
Hofstra added some insurance with another Morse single to left center, sending Collins home taking a 6-0 lead.
With Venturini dealing out on the mound, the offense continued their reign with a double to right field from Giordano scoring Morse in the process, supplying Venturini with breathing room for near perfection.
In the 7th, nearing perfection, Venturini got a ground out from Alyxx Estrada and a strikeout to Katriel Williams with one out away from a perfect game. But Dezianna Patmon got a hold of a pitch and lined it to right field putting the Aggies first runner on base in the game and ending Venturini’s perfect game. However, Venturini bounced back and struck out J Bennet to secure her shutout and a win in the first game of the series 8-0.
Giordano propelled the offense with her bat going 2-5 with six RBIs on the day.
On the losing side Kearse, who pitched for the Aggies, got the loss with five hits and five runs in 2.1 innings pitched.
This demonstrative win for the Pride put them at a 13-17 overall record and lifted them to 6-1 in conference play.
The series continues for the Pride with a double header against North Carolina A&T on Sunday, April 2 with the first game at noon and the second at 2:30 p.m.
Photo courtesy of Rob Cuni/Hofstra Athletics
