The Hofstra University softball team beat the North Carolina A&T State University (NC A&T) Aggies 4-3 on Saturday, April 6.
Hofstra extended their win streak to five games and improved both their overall record, 12-17, and their Coastal Athletic Association record to 10-4. Meanwhile the Aggies fell to 8-25 overall and 2-12 in the CAA.
The Pride added some insurance runs in the sixth inning after Alanna Morse worked a five-pitch walk in a bases-loaded situation, increasing the team’s lead to 2-0. Chelsea Manto followed up with a two-RBI single to center field, taking the team to 4-0.
“Chelsea did a fantastic job of staying in her legs, making something happen and getting the job done,” said Hofstra head coach Adrienne Clark. “We talk about how it doesn’t have to be pretty; it just matters that we figure out a way to get it done and [Manto] did.”
Julia Apsel got the start for the sixth game straight. Apsel pitched seven shutout innings and struck out a career high of 10 batters in a single game. Apsel also earned win number 11, her season high.
“I thought [Apsel] did phenomenal,” Clark said. “I was really impressed with how she commanded the zone, how she attacked the zone and being able to manipulate her pitches in the way that she did was really impressive.”
NC A&T put together quality at-bats, making Apsel work for just about every out. The Aggies left 10 runners on base over the course of the game, including two instances where they had bases loaded in the third and fifth innings. To end the fifth, freshman third baseman Mackenzie Fitzgerald laid out down the third base line to snag a hard liner off the bat of Joey Barkhimer.
“The defense did a fantastic job of managing,” Clark said. “I talked to them about that at the end of the game. It was really impressive how well we managed it. I think they left 10 runners on base and that’s always a sign of both pitching and defense making sure they get it done. I thought that was a huge catch. Momentum shift.”
Becca Vaillancourt launched a no-doubter to left center in the bottom of the third for her seventh long ball of the season, putting her in a tie for the most home runs in the CAA.
Things got interesting in the top of the seventh inning as Anna Butler came in to follow Apsel. Butler surrendered three walks in a row without recording an out, causing Apsel to re-enter the game. Following the three walks, Makayla Layton laced a single into left field, scoring Alyxx Estrada and Brenay Howard. With runners on the corners and one out in the inning, Jamari Moss singled up the middle to make it a one-run game. Apsel coaxed the Aggies designated hitter, Kayla Taylor, to pop out to second base for the final out, effectively earning a save in her own game.
Hofstra is back in action for game three against NC A&T, on Sunday, April 7, with the chance to record their second CAA series sweep. First pitch is set for noon.
Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics/Matteo Bracco
