The Hofstra University softball team took the trip down to Tampa, Florida, at the Madeira Beach Rec Center on Friday, March 3, taking part in the Spring Games event. The Pride competed in a doubleheader, defeating the Bethune-Cookman University Wildcats by a 2-1 score before falling to the Central Michigan University Chippewas in a blowout affair, 9-2.
Coming into the first matchup of the day, both the Pride and the Wildcats were looking to right the ship, with both teams holding on to only one win in the young season, and a combined 2-22 between them.
The first inning was a struggle, with both squads halted to three outs in quick fashion. However, things quickly changed in the second inning with a home run to left center by Desirae Martinez, giving the Wildcats an early 1-0 lead. Bethune-Cookman was unlucky the rest of the inning, giving Hofstra a chance to tie things up with just one run.
The Pride did just that in the bottom of the second inning. Off the back of a single hit from Olivia Malinowski and a walk by Kayla Wilson, Angelina Ioppolo doubled to right center to send Malinowski home for a 1-1 score. Chelsea Manto followed things up with a flyout to left field, bringing home Wilson to give Hofstra the 2-1 advantage.
The rest of the contest was quiet, with the Wildcats failing to even the score and the Pride failing to extend their lead. In the seventh and final inning, Bethune-Cookman had one last chance to turn this around but ultimately could not as Joslynn Davis struck out swinging to end the game in the Pride’s favor.
Nikki Mullin got the start on the mound for game one, pitching a complete game with five strikeouts and six hits allowed. This was also Mullin’s first victory of the season, improving to 1-4 on the year.
Game two was much more difficult for the Pride, as Central Michigan got off to a commanding start. The Chippewas recorded five runs in the second inning. Emily Bracamonte crossed home plate first after an error by shortstop. A single to left center by Abbey Tolmie brought home Lucy Cronin and Maddie Springer for a two-shot RBI, and a single by Michaleigh Vallimont sent Samantha Mills and Tolmie home to go ahead 5-0.
In the top of the third inning, Vallimont once again recorded a single up the middle to send Mills in an unearned run, extending the lead to 6-0. The Chippewas tacked on two more runs in the fourth inning to continue their dominating performance on the diamond, making it an 8-0 game.
The Pride finally got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth off a homer to right center from Aliya Catanzarita. Hofstra notched their second point of the afternoon with an unearned score by Malinowski due to Wilson reaching on an error by the first base player. [JR3]
After two scoreless innings, Central Michigan once again extended its lead off an RBI single by Allyssa Hollo. The Pride faced an enormous obstacle in trying to climb back into the game, as Hofstra was quickly shutout in the bottom of the seventh to end the game 9-2.
Catanzarita led Hofstra in hits with two. Annabella Pisapia got the start but only played 1.1 innings with three hits given up and one strikeout recorded. Haley Venturini quickly came in for relief but struggled as well, as Venturini lasted 1.1 innings with zero strikeouts to show for it. Finally, Julia Apsel came to the mound looking to settle Pride’s pitching woes. Apsel threw 4.1 innings and recorded a team-high six strikeouts. All three pitchers gave up three runs in the defeat.
At the conclusion of the games, the Pride now sits at 2-10 on the season.
Hofstra will look to bounce back in THE Spring Games on Saturday, March 4, with another doubleheader, this time against the Coastal Carolina University Chanticleers and the College of Holy Cross Crusaders. Opening pitch against the Chanticleers is set for 3 p.m., while the matchup against the Crusaders is tentatively set for 5:30 p.m.
Photo Courtesy of Hofstra Athletics/Stephen Galvin Jr
