The Hofstra softball team dropped their second consecutive game and second conference game of the season as they fell to Drexel University by a score of 8-5 on Friday, April 9.
After winning 10 of 12 games earlier in the month, Hofstra’s two-game losing skid has dropped their season record to 11-8 and 4-2 in conference play. Drexel improved to 13-3 overall and 2-2 in conference.
The Pride jumped all over Drexel starter Olivia Farris with four runs in the first three innings to take an early lead. Hofstra used an RBI single from Aliya Catanzarita in the second, and home runs from Brianna Morse and Meghan Giordano to go ahead 4-0.
However, Drexel fought back immediately in the bottom half of the third and rallied for five runs off Hofstra starter Madison Burns and relief pitcher Annabella Pisapia.
The Dragons tallied six hits in the inning off the two Pride pitchers to quickly erase the four-run deficit and showed exactly why they are the top team in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA).
Drexel added two more insurance runs the next inning as Kristi DiMeo and Savaanah Garcia each notched RBI singles to left field.
Despite the hot start to the game, Hofstra’s offense struggled to get runners on base the rest of the way against Drexel relief pitcher Lindsay Nelson. Giordano made the score a two-run game with a base hit in the sixth, but no more Hofstra runners crossed the plate after that.
Nelson was strong in relief of Farris and fired 3 1/3 innings with three strikeouts and only one run.
Just like they did in the third inning, Drexel responded to Hofstra’s run very quickly and scored their eighth run of the game in the bottom half of the sixth inning.
All but one batter in Drexel’s starting lineup reached base in the game, while Hofstra had three players record multiple hits. Linda Rush led the way for the Dragons, going 3-4 with two RBIs, and Garcia was right there with her, also with two RBIs on two hits.
For Hofstra, Chelsea Manto led the team with three hits, while Morse’s home run put her as the team leader with two RBIs on the day.
The Pride will continue their CAA series against Drexel with a double-header on Saturday, April 10 starting at 12 p.m. with the second game starting at 2 p.m.
Photo Courtesy of Hofstra Athletics
