The Hofstra softball team dominated the University of Delaware in Newark to complete the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) series sweep with a 14-4 victory on Sunday afternoon.
The Pride remain undefeated in CAA play and improved to 12-0 by sweeping its third straight conference series, while also extending a 10-game winning streak in the process.
Hofstra matched last season’s win total of 27 with 14 regular season games remaining.
Brielle Pietrafesa led the charge with a 4-4 day at the plate including four runs batted in. Pietrafesa’s four hits were part of a tie for a season-high 15 hits and 14 runs for the Hofstra offense.
Sarah Cornell picked up her 17th win of the season, while opposing pitcher Jordan Cargile took the loss.
Both teams stranded a runner in the first inning before Hofstra exploded for five runs in the second inning.
Back-to-back walks gave way to a Michaela Transue RBI single to center field, after a fielder’s choice put runners on second and third. Kristin Hallam cleared the bases with a single up the middle in the following at-bat. Pietrafesa touched all four on an inside-the-park home run to score Hofstra a 5-0 lead.
Delaware went in order in the second and Cargile recovered in the third to keep the Blue Hens’ deficit at five runs.
Cornell surrendered two runs in the third on a bases-clearing double off the bat of Mariah Kondravy to cut the Pride lead to 5-2.
Hofstra got to Cargile again in the fourth inning to plate eight runs on seven hits. Hallam and Pietrafesa started off the inning with consecutive singles. They came across to score on a Sarah Edwards double to right field to make it 7-2 Hofstra. Kimberly Wert replaced Edwards on second with a pinch-hit RBI double.
Megan Patierno reached on an error and scored on a two-run Nikki Michalowski triple to left. Transue brought her teammate in to score with her second RBI single of the game after a Kaitlyne Musa walk. Pietrafesa picked up her second hit of the inning with an RBI double to center, scoring Musa and Transue and giving the Pride a 13-2 lead.
Delaware added a run of their own in the fourth when Reyna de Jesus doubled to center and scored on a Mattie Nuccio double.
Hofstra added their 14th and final run in the fifth. After a single of her own, Courtney Scarpato went around to score after a Musa single through the infield.
Cornell allowed her fourth run in the fifth on a de Jesus double down the line with runners on first and third.
The game ended after five complete innings with Hofstra leading 14-4.
The Pride will return home on Tuesday to play host to Wagner College in a doubleheader starting at 4 p.m.
