The Hofstra University softball team lost the final game of their three-game series against the Stony Brook University Seawolves 7-1 on Sunday, April 14. The Pride fell to 13-21 overall and 11-7 in the Coastal Athletic Association while the Seawolves improved to 24-13 overall and 12-6 in the CAA. With this win, Stony Brook completed the sweep and has won their past 11 games.
In the bottom of the first inning, designated player Olivia Malinowski hit her second home run of the year to deep left field to give the Pride an early 1-0 lead.
“[Malinowski] has done a good job of adjusting, staying in her legs and really learning about how her body’s moving and her swing,” said Hofstra head coach Adrienne Clark said. “What makes her so dynamic is when she is in tune with what she’s doing in being able to make the adjustments and come out and turn hard like she did. That was awesome.”
With a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth, things started to unravel for Hofstra. After a lead-off double from Catherine Anne Kupinski, Corinne Badger drove her home with a double of her own. With one out in the inning, Naiah Ackerman singled to right field, scoring Badger from second. Stony Brook capped off their three-run inning with a two-out RBI single off the bat of Alyssa Costello to give them a 3-1 lead.
The Pride went 1-12 at the plate with runners on base and 1-8 with runners in scoring position. On top of that, Hofstra only scored six runs in the entire series.
“I think swinging earlier in the count at hittable pitches, I think situational hitting, really understanding the different types of things we can do at the plate when we do get runners on base – that can help us better advance them and score them,” Clark said.
Julia Apsel pitched four-plus innings, as she couldn’t record an out in the fifth and gave up back-to-back singles before getting taken out. Apsel surrendered five runs on eight hits and one walk while striking out one. With this loss, she fell to 12-8 on the season.
Annabella Pisapia came in as relief for Apsel and allowed two runs on two walks and three hits over three innings of work.
“[Pisapia] did a great job of coming in and finding ways to get outs,” Clark said. “I was pleased with the competitiveness that she showed today.”
Hofstra is currently in fifth place in the CAA while Stony Brook jumped into fourth after the win.
Elon University is also right behind the Pride, as they sit in sixth place with a 10-8 conference record. Only the top-six teams in the conference will play in the CAA playoffs.
Hofstra is back in action on Wednesday, April 17, in a non-conference game against St. John’s University. First pitch is set for 5 p.m.
Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics/Rob Cuni
