The Hofstra softball team dropped the final game of a weekend series with the University of Delaware Blue Hens on Sunday, April 18. The Blue Hens jumped out to an early lead in the first inning and never looked back. 

Madison Burns got the start for the Pride but only made it through one inning of work, giving up two earned runs. Nikki Mullin came on in relief after a leadoff double to start the second inning and allowed eight runs over 5 1/3 innings. Mullin managed to keep the game within reach until the seventh inning when Brittney Mendoza launched a three-run homer to left field. Annabella Pisapia entered the game in relief and allowed another three-run homer to Chayanna Gallardo, giving the Blue Hens an 11-0 lead.

After the game, head coach Jay Miller expressed his displeasure with the pitching performance. “I think as for our pitchers, there’s a couple things we can’t defend,” Miller said. “We can’t defend a base on balls, and we can’t defend a ball hit over the fence. So, they’ve got two jobs: get ahead in the count – and don’t give them free passes – and keep the ball in the yard. If we do those two things … we win a ball game.”

The Pride tried to rally in the bottom of the seventh but fell six runs short of an insurmountable deficit. Alexis Goeke pinch hit a double to score Meghan Giordano for Hofstra’s first run of the game. Madison McKevitt then pinch hit with the bases loaded and launched a grand slam to dead center. After a Kristin Hallam single to keep the rally alive, Chelsea Manto lined out to shortstop Karolina Flores and the Blue Hens doubled up Hallam to end the rally and the game. 

Miller praised Goeke and McKevitt after the game, crediting them for their ability to come into the game late and produce some much-needed offense. “I think we took some big strides this weekend,” Miller said. “We had kids come off the bench and have some success, obviously that leads to more success and obviously for them, that’s going to lead to more playing time.” 

The Pride will be back in action on Wednesday, April 21, at Bill Edwards Stadium against Fordham University before a weekend conference series with Towson University.

Photo Courtesy of Adam Flash/The Hofstra Chronicle