Hofstra Softball Shuts Down Blue Hens, 3-0 and 9-2, To Sweep CAA Doubleheader
April 7, 2012
• Game 1 Boxscore
• Game 2 Boxscore
Photos Courtesy of Mark Campbell
NEWARK, Del. -- The Hofstra University softball team posted a 3-0 victory in the opener and a 9-2 win during the nightcap as the Pride swept a Colonial Athletic Association doubleheader from the University of Delaware Saturday afternoon at the UD Softball Stadium.
Hofstra (17-12, 7-0 CAA) looked to take the lead in the opener during the top of the fifth when Becca Bigler was on second place with one out and Tessa Ziemba hit a deep flyball to rightcenter, but UD centerfielder Lara Andrews made a spectacular running catch just in front of the fence to keep the Pride off the board.
However Hofstra finally broke the scoreless tie by pushing across three runs during the top of the seventh. Michelle Lavagnino opened the rally with a leadoff triple to rightcenter, and she crossed the plate when Rachael Senatore hit a sacrifice fly to center.
One out later Olivia Galati worked a walk, and she came around to score when Tessa Ziemba reached on an error by Blue Hen leftfielder Gina Knutson. Erin Trippi then reached on an error by UD third baseman Jessica Grisler, allowing Ziemba to score and make it a 3-0 game.
That would be enough for Galati, who fired a one-hitter to post her sixth shutout of the season. Galati surrendered only a leadoff double to Marisa Newman in the bottom of the third while striking out 13 batters and walking none as she improved to 12-5 on the season. Blue Hen junior Chenxi Jiao dropped to 2-16 despite allowing just three runs, one earned, on nine hits while posting eight strikeouts.
The Pride then jumped in front during the nightcap by scoring an unearned run in the top of the first. Senatore led off with a single to second base, and Bigler followed with a sacrifice bunt. Senatore then took third on the play, while she came around to score when the throw to third by Blue Hen second baseman Michelle McKinnon was off the mark.
Delaware (8-31-1, 2-6 CAA) looked to answer back in the bottom half as Grisler and Alicea Coy opened with singles, but Hofstra starter Erin Wade retired the next three batters to keep the Blue Hens off the board. Hofstra then tacked on a pair of runs in the second when Senatore delivered a single up the middle with the bases loaded to increase the Pride advantage to three.
In the third Trippi worked a two-out walk and came around to score when Courtney Crews tripled to rightfield, while Bigler singled home Tori Rocha the following inning as Hofstra took a 5-0 lead. The Pride then added four runs in the sixth on an RBI double by Galati, a two-run triple by Ziemba, and a run-scoring single by Crews.
Delaware got on the board in the bottom of the sixth, as McKinnon reached on an error by Wade to open the frame and one out later moved to second on a single by center by Kaitlyn Breneman. Morgan Culver (at right) then ripped a double into the leftfield corner, driving home both runners to conclude the scoring.
Wade went the first six innings for the Pride, allowing two runs on seven hits to improve to 5-7 on the year. Blue Hen starter Hannah Rust fell to 4-6 after giving up eight runs, five earned, on nine hits while striking out five in 5.1 frames of work.
Grisler (at left) finished 3 for 4 during the second game for the Blue Hens, while Coy, Knutson, Breneman and Culver each added a hit apiece.
Hofstra and Delaware conclude their three-game weekend series on Sunday with a single game at the UD Softball Stadium beginning at 12 noon.
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