STANFORD, CA – The Hofstra softball team struggled in their last outing of the Stanford Invitational, losing 8-0 in five innings against the Drake University Bulldogs in California. They finish the invitational at 1-4, with their lone win being against the Bulldogs.
All four primary pitching options took the mound for the Pride, with freshman Natalie Grubczak getting the start and pitching 2.2 innings.
The Pride got off to a solid start offensively, with a Kasey Collins single and Meghan Giordano walk, getting a runner in scoring position for the heart of the order. But Lindsey Hay and Alexis Goeke recorded flyouts, stranding both runners.
The Bulldogs wasted no time getting on the board in their half of the first, with senior Sarah Maddox getting an RBI double, giving the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead.
Grubczak started to settle down, recording two strikeouts in a scoreless second inning, but her struggles came back in the third. After recording two outs rather quickly, Grubczak allowed another RBI double, this time to junior Libby Ryan.
She only faced one more batter, allowing a walk to Maddox, before being relieved by Madison Burns. Burns gave up a double on the first batter she faced, allowing two runs and extending Drake’s lead to 4-0.
Burns allowed three more runs in the fourth before Nikki Mullin came in, striking out a batter and only allowing one hit in her 0.2 innings of work.
Mullin’s performance capped off an impressive start of the season for the freshman, pitching 13.2 innings, striking out three batters and recording her first collegiate win during this invitational.
Mackenzie Suto got the ball in the bottom of the fifth, striking out her first batter. Unfortunately for the Pride, Drake responded with three consecutive hits, scoring their eighth run, ending the game via mercy rule.
One of the most significant issues for the Pride was their offensive execution. They only recorded two hits, as opposed to Drake’s 14. Even with the lack of hits, they found ways to get on base, reaching on three errors and notching three walks. Despite this, their inability to get a timely hit made it difficult for the Pride to put together any rally. They left a total of six runners on base, continuing the woes that the Pride has experienced throughout the Stanford Invitational.
The Pride will travel from one coast to another, starting with the Florida Atlantic University (FAU) Strike Out Cancer Tournament in Boca Raton, Florida, on Friday, Feb. 21. They’ll play five games in three days, starting with a doubleheader against Illinois State and FAU.Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics
