On Friday, April 15, the Hofstra softball team split a home doubleheader against the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW). The Pride won the first game with a final score of 3-2 and dropped the second, losing 6-2. The team had a slow start to the season as they started 2-13 through the first 15 games. Since then, they have had an improved record of 13-8 and flipped their season around, sitting at 15-21 after Friday’s doubleheader.

UNCW got off to a hot start in game one as they loaded the bases in the top of the first. This was followed up by a two-run bunt single off the bat of the shortstop Mary Sobataka. The Pride quickly responded in the bottom of the first as a single and stolen base by center fielder Chelsea Manto preceded a massive two-run home run off the bat of Meghan Giordano.

Following the action-packed first inning, both teams’ starting pitchers were locked in as UNCW’s Emily Winstead went five innings, allowing just two earned runs while striking out seven. Meanwhile, Hofstra’s Nikki Mullin went the full seven innings giving up two earned runs as well as striking out six batters. Both pitchers remained nearly perfect with several 1-2-3 innings until the bottom of the fifth where Hofstra scraped a run across due to an error and some miscommunication by the Seahawks.

That was all that Mullin needed as she shut the door, giving Hofstra the game one win.

For game two, freshman pitcher Kara Hammock entered the circle for the Seahawks, and for the Pride it was sophomore pitcher Annabella Pisapia. Hammock was lights out as she went the full seven innings, finishing with only one earned run to go along with seven strikeouts. The Pride struggled defensively in game as their three errors put them in a tough position to win the game.

Hofstra was first to get on the board in the bottom of the second when a couple of singles and a few fielding mistakes from UNCW led to a pair of runs, giving the Pride a 2-0 lead. This lead would not last for long however, as the very next inning, UNCW put up a pair of singles, a walk and a hit by pitch which led to Pisapia exiting the game after just 2.2 innings, giving up two runs in the process. Julia Apsel entered the game and gave up an additional run due to a fielding error as well as another walk. The Pride struggled in the walk department as they gave up five walks throughout the game.

The three-run third inning made the game 3-2 all the way up until the top of the 6th when UNCW broke it open by putting up another three spot, which was started off by a Lauren Cope double to open the inning. The Seahawks then put together a string of baserunners, which led them to a commanding 6-2 lead. Hammock shut the door in the sixth and seventh leading to a UNCW victory.

The Pride will try to go for the series victory Saturday, April 16, as they once again take on UNCW at home at 12 p.m.  

Photo courtesy of Evan Bernstein/The Hofstra Chronicle