The Hofstra University softball team picked up their first win of the season and ended their ten-game losing streak in a 13-12 victory over Seton Hall University. The Pride recorded 14 hits on the day while the Pirates put up 16 hits.
Anna Butler went 5-5, tying the program record for hits in a single game, adding two RBIs. Butler, a two-way player, had just 30 at-bats in her first three seasons with the Pride and now enters the record book with a career-best day at the plate. Alanna Morse was also strong for the Pride, going 3-4 at the plate with an RBI.
Erin Howard, Taylor Hill and Andrea Perez all added three hit nights for the Pirates.
Freshman Carley Ernst started in the circle for the Pride, pitching three innings. She allowed eight hits, two walks and seven earned runs before turning the ball over to Haley Venturini, who was awarded the win.
Venturini pitched 1.1 innings, striking out one batter and allowing two earned runs. Emma Brennan finished the fifth inning for the Pride, allowing two earned runs in 0.2 innings. Emma Falen earned her first save of the season, closing out the game for the Pride. She struck out two, while only allowing one earned run in two innings of work.
The Pirates also went through several pitchers, as starter Karissa Dupuis got banged up in one inning on the mound. She allowed seven earned runs off five hits.
Kyra Kreuscher came in relief, pitching 4.2 innings, allowing eight hits and five earned runs. Finishing out the game in the circle was Racheal Schumann, who allowed just one hit in 1.1 innings of work.
The Pride got hot early as Butler’s first hit of the night drove in two runs to get the Pride on the scoreboard.
Seton Hall put up a run of their own in the first on a sacrifice bunt from Olivia Gilbert.
The Pride rallied in the second inning, putting up a six spot. The rally began with a double from Dahlia Palacio. Morse followed her with a single and back-to-back walks set the table for Chelsea Villar, who knocked in two runs off a single to left field.
Tyler Douglas added an RBI on her second triple of the season. The Pride’s rally did not end there as Mackenzie Fitzgerald brought in the sixth run of the inning on a ground out to second base.
Seton Hall responded with a five-spot in the bottom of the second. The bottom of the Pirate’s lineup strung together three singles in a row. A hit by pitch allowed the Pirates to record their first run of the inning.
Katey Brennan and Hill each recorded an RBI and Hannah Alexander added two RBIs with a single to cap off the inning.
Seton Hall ate away at the Pride’s lead in the third and fourth, adding one run in each inning.
Gemma D’Orazio brought in a run with a double in the fifth. Villar put down a sacrifice bunt to bring home D’Orazio.
Seton Hall brought in a run on a single from Gilbert in the fifth.
The Pride continued to tack on runs in the sixth as Morse drove in a run with an RBI single. Villar brought in two more on a single to centerfield.
Seton Hall stayed alive with a two RBI double from Angelina Benitez in the sixth.
The Pirates rallied late in the seventh, but fell just short of victory, as they added one more run off an RBI single from Sophia Demarco.
The Pride continued to battle in the Party at Palmer Invitational on Saturday, March 1, against the University of Virginia.
