After losing both games of a double header in the University of Houston Classic to open the season, the Hofstra Pride lost another two games on Saturday, Feb. 18. Coach Adrienne Clark’s team lost game one to the Huskies of the University of Washington 8-0 in six innings and lost game two 3-0 to the host Houston Cougars. The Pride now stand at 0-4 early into the season.
In game one, the Huskies held Hofstra hitters to two hits. The first hit was a single to left field by Becca Vaillancourt in the top of the second inning. The other came in the third inning from Kasey Collins. Hofstra remained mostly stifled by Washington pitching.
Brooke Nelson was credited with the win, her third of season already. She went five innings for Washington, striking out three and only walking one on 58 pitches. For Hofstra, Haley Venturini earned her first loss of the season. She pitched 4.2 innings, striking out one. Venturini also gave up eight hits as well as five runs, four of them earned. Julia Apsel also pitched one inning for Hofstra, giving up two hits and three runs, all earned.
Washington scored the first run in the bottom of the second, when Venturini gave up a solo home run to Madison Huskey, who is coming off a 15-home run season, her second of the season. Washington quadrupled their lead in the bottom of the third. Started by a one out solo home run by Baylee Klinger, who also hit her second home run of the season to make it 2-0 Washington. Both of those home runs have come in this invitational against Hofstra. Washington made it 3-0 when Kinsey Fiedler stole home with two outs. Huskey then scored on an RBI single by Sami Reynolds.
A fifth inning home run by Fiedler made it 5-0, when she took Venturini deep to right field. In the bottom of the sixth, Hofstra put Apsel into the game, and she gave up three runs, which invoked the run rule, ending the game in six innings.
In game two, the Pride faced the host Cougars, who were 2-0 in the invitational heading into this game and were 4-3 overall on the season.
Houston starting pitcher Kenna Wilkey was outstanding, pitching a complete game. She went all seven innings, striking out six Hofstra hitters, only walking one and giving up three hits en route to her third win of the year. The loss was credited to Nikki Mullen, her second of the season. She gave up three earned runs.
The Cougars didn’t take long to strike, as in the bottom of the first inning, Katy Repa hit an RBI double into right center that scored Ja’Naiya Thomas with two outs. Houston doubled the lead one inning later. Paige Hulsey began the inning with a double to right field. She advanced to third on a groundout, and then scored on a single through the right side by Brooke Lorenzo. Houston got the final run in the bottom of the fifth with one out. Bree Cantu took a pitch from Mullin and jacked it to center field which left Cougar Softball Stadium.
Hofstra continues to look for its first win of the season. The Pride continues playing games at the University of Houston Classic against the Morgan State University Bears. Morgan State is 3-3 to start the season, and beat Hofstra on Feb. 17 2-1 in ten innings. The game in Houston begins at 11 a.m. ET.
Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics
