The Hofstra softball team suffered back-to-back losses to end their season at the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament, narrowly falling to No. 3 UNC-Wilmington Seahawks (UNCW), and then losing in a grueling affair to No. 5 College of Charleston Cougars on Thursday, May 12, at Hunt Softball Park in Elon, North Carolina.
Game one against UNCW was a pitcher’s duel, as each side allowed just three hits each throughout the contest. Seahawks starter Emily Winstead received her 12th win of the season as she allowed two hits over 4.2 innings, striking out eight of the nineteen batters she faced. Haley Venturini started for Hofstra and struck out six batters while allowing three hits over 3.1 innings on the way to her ninth loss. Pride reliever Annabelle Pisapia pitched the remaining 3.2 innings and didn’t surrender a single hit or run. Pride first-year coach Adrienne Clark had nothing but praise for her starter.
“[Venturini] did a great job,” Clarke said. “She’s continued to grow throughout the season and has learned who she is as a pitcher and just gained confidence in what she’s capable of. She stayed on the attack; she threw incredible pitches. She did a great job of getting outs when we needed to get outs, and that’s all you’re looking for in a pitcher.”
The Seahawks came out firing early on, as they drove in a run in the top of the first. Second baseman Tayler Vitola was walked, stole second out of the gate and advanced to third on a single from Jamel Gamache. Vitola was gunned down at home plate by Hofstra’s right-fielder Kayla Wilson, leaving Gamache on first. Seahawks catcher Mackenzie Amodeo doubled to left-center field, advancing Gamache to third. Right-fielder Morgan Britt singled through the left-side to score Gamache and advance Amodeo to third, closing out the inning 1-0 in favor of UNCW.
UNCW struck again in the top of the fourth, as catcher Anna Knox was walked to kick off the inning. She promptly stole second and third. Mary Sobataka laid down a sacrifice bunt that drove in Knox to take the 2-0 lead. The Pride responded with a solo shot in the bottom of the frame from shortstop Meghan Giordano to lessen the lead to 2-1. The Seahawks got the last laugh holding off the Pride to take the 2-1 win, forcing Hofstra’s second game against the College of Charleston Cougars. Heading into game two, Clark had adjustments for her team.
“We needed to have a more aggressive start at the plate,” Clarke said. “When we’ve played our best this season we’ve swung early in the count and been aggressive on hittable pitches.”
And come out aggressive they did, as the Prides bats came alive early. To kick off the first inning, center-fielder Chelsea Manto hit a ground ball to second and beat out the throw, stealing second moments later. Kasey Collins then singled and advanced on an error from Cougars second baseman Aniz Roman, while Manto scored. The Pride struck again in the second inning, driving in Wilson to take the lead 2-0.
Charleston struck back with a run in the top of the fourth, as first baseman Peyton Wade kicked off the attack with a double to right-center field. Pinch runner Kelli Anne Carter took her place and was brought in by a single to left field from third baseman Noel Dominguez. The Cougars tied the game at two runs a side in the sixth as right-fielder Mia Dittoe doubled down the left field line and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt from Shealyn Starks. Dittoe scored off of a wild pitch thrown Pisapia.
The game went into extra innings and remained a stalemate until the top of the ninth, when Charleston’s Dominguez was walked and advanced to second on a passed ball. She scored on a throwing error by Hofstra’s Sam Ward, which put Roman on first. Shortstop Jenna Carter singled up the middle to advance Roman to second. Catcher Jenna Helberg singled to left field and advanced to second on a throwing error, while Carter advanced to third, and Roman scored. Pisipia was pulled in favor of Venturini, whose entrance was met with a triple to left-center field from Dittoe that scored Carter and Helberg.
The Pride mounted a comeback as left-fielder Madison McKevitt slammed a three-run home run to right-center field. Unfortunately for the Pride, that would be their last hurrah, as the game and Hofstra’s season ended with a 6-5 final score. Charleston’s Payton Lemire knabbed her fifth win, with a record of 5-11, and reliever Carli McCants got her first save. Hofstra’s Annabella Pisipia took the loss, her third of the season, leaving her with a record of 3-3. Although fresh, Clarke has some early thoughts on improvements for next season.
“I would like us to improve upon being more consistent with our adjustments during the season and trust our abilities to put trust and faith in each other,” Clarke said.” I think we learned a lot this year; I would love for us to be able to continue carrying the foundation that we worked so hard to set this year.”
Photo Courtesy of Hofstra Athletics
