The Hofstra University softball team beat the Drexel University Dragons 2-1, on Friday, March 15. Hofstra improved to 5-11 overall and 3-1 in the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA), while Drexel worsened to 4-12 overall and 1-2 in the CAA.
Olivia Malinowksi’s first-inning two-run home run was the deciding factor in this game. With two outs in the inning, trailing 1-0 and Chelsea Manto on second base, Malinowski launched a no-doubt home run over the left field wall to put the Pride in front of the Dragons.
The ace of the Pride’s rotation, Julia Apsel earned her fourth win of the season, after allowing only one run to Drexel. Apsel tossed her fourth complete game of the season and surrendered one run on eight hits, one walk and one hit by pitch. She also fanned three batters leaving nine Dragon runners on base.
“I don’t know that [Apsel] had her best stuff today,” said Hofstra head coach Adrienne Clark. “So to see her battle through that and stay locked into what she needed to do, which is get outs, is pretty incredible. I think the thing that I loved most, was she was in the bullpen in between innings early on trying to work some things out and you saw she got a little bit sharper as the game went on.”
Drexel got out to an early 1-0 lead in the first inning of the game. This was the first time this season a team scored a run in the first inning against Apsel.
Iizzy Alamillo led off the inning for the Dragons with a bunt single. Kalea Calugay reached first base safely on a fielder’s choice and later came around to score on a double off the bat of Ameryn Humble.
Lindsay Nelson, the starting pitcher for the Dragons, had the Pride’s number all day aside from the one mistake she made in the first inning against Malinowski. Nelson allowed two runs on six hits and three walks, but fanned nine, in six innings of work. At one point in the middle innings, Nelson retired 10-straight Hofstra hitters.
“I told them that we need to be in control and right now the pitcher is in control,” Clarke said. “So the more that we can see the ball a little bit deeper and also swing at strikes, then we’re going to be in a better position in order to make some adjustments. I don’t know that we really took advantage of the umpire’s zone today, as well as I thought we would have as the game went on.”
Manto, Malinowski and Alanna Morse are the only hitters for the Pride that recorded hits.
This three-game series against Drexel is the first time Hofstra played at their home stadium in front of their home crowd this season.
“It was absolutely amazing,” Clarke said. “There’s nothing better than a win on opening day, home field, that’s what it’s all about.”
The Pride returned on Saturday, March 16, to face the Dragons for game two of the three-game series at 1 p.m.
Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics/Matteo Bracco
