Hofstra softball ends stellar weekend sweep

The Hofstra University softball team completed a sweep of the Hampton University Pirates in a senior day spectacular on Sunday, April 28. The Pride was victorious, securing a 2-1 win that afternoon that gave them their third Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) sweep of the season.

Before the game, the Pride honored its seven departing seniors with a ceremony. Head coach Adrienne Clark explained how impactful all graduates were to the program and to her personally.

“This class is so dynamic and full of personality … [the class] left an everlasting impact on this program, and I’m just truly grateful to be able to celebrate them in that fashion,” Clark said.

After the pregame ceremonies, Hofstra was all business. First baseman Aliya Catanzarita lined a single to bring home the opening run of the game in the first inning. Catanzarita recorded two hits in the afternoon. In the third inning, catcher Becca Vaillancourt hit a double to help advance the Pride to a two-run lead.

The Pride had chances to add to their two-run advantage but left 11 runners stranded on base throughout the contest. At least one runner was stranded on base in every inning of the game. Clark wanted her team to be more aggressive earlier in counts.

“Attack the hittable pitches a little bit earlier, instead of waiting until we get a little bit deeper into the count. But if we do get deeper into the count, just continue to control the ball game … don’t force something that isn’t there,” Clark said.

Julia Apsel was stellar yet again, pitching her 16th complete game of the season and holding the Pirates to only one run and six hits on 120 pitches. She lowered her ERA to 1.37 as she continued her domination in conference play.

“She sets the standards very high, so I knew she was going to continue to come out here and compete … I think the thing that makes her so dynamic is that she is a fierce competitor,” Clark said.

The Pride had a strong defense until the seventh inning. Hampton’s Taylor Ivey was hit by a pitch to get the Pirates’ rally started despite Clark disagreeing with the call.

“I told [the umpire] he had to be better, even the hitter didn’t know she got hit … there was no reaction on her end,” Clark said.

After the hit-by pitch, the Pirates loaded the bases with just one out in the seventh inning. Leah Maduro hit a sacrifice fly to score the Pirates their only run of the game. After that, it was back to business for Apsel, who struck out the final batter of the game and secured the victory for the Pride.

 “It was a fun one,” Clark said.

The Pride will be back in action on Thursday, May 2, in Charleston, South Carolina, against the College of Charleston Cougars in an effort to gain more momentum ahead of the CAA championship.

Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics/Antonio Giammarino Jr.