By Mike Rudin and Jeffrey Werner – SPORTS EDITOR AND STAFF WRITER
Hofstra softball warmed up for their doubleheader against the Towson Tigers last Sunday on March 29th and the Pride basked in back-to-back wins with a14-6 victory in game one and a 6-4 win in game two at their home field on a beautiful, sunny day.
“It’s really tough to do to beat a team three times in a row,” said head coach Larissa Anderson. “It was a great outing, we hit the ball really well. Our pitchers competed…It was nice seeing Taylor shut them down.”
Talyor Pirone picked up her sixth win on the season after back-to-back wins in the doubleheader and improved her record to 6-6 while Hofstra improves their record to 15-7-1.
Hofstra currently rides an eight-game winning streak as well as a 6-0 start vs. conference opponents in the Colonial Athletic Association.
Brielle Pietrafesa erupted with two home runs and four RBIs – both in the same inning – to supply a healthy chunk of the nine-run rally in the bottom of the second inning of the first game for the Pride.
“Offensively, she’s made great adjustments,” said Anderson. “Not swinging at the high pitch zone…being able to hit both sides of the plate…to able to go some offensive production out of them has really added to our lineup one through nine.”
Brittany Allocca delivered the final blow to the Tigers with a walk-off two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth inning to mercy Towson in the first game of the doubleheader.
Hofstra stumbled in the first game with Pride starter Taylor Pirone struggling through the first inning, giving up three runs.
After a wild pitch brought home the first run as well as walked the batter, Tatume Valentine delivered for Towson with a two-run single. It took Pirone three batters later to end the top of the first, throwing over 30 pitches to start the game.
Hofstra’s offense refused to subside and scored two runs in the bottom of the first to keep the game close. Kim Smith contributed heavily with a RBI single and she later swiped home plate off a wild pitch for the second run.
The x-factor of the first game was the second inning from the top with Pirone keeping the Tigers off the board to the bottom with the nine-run rally for the Pride to go out 11-3.
Back-to-back solo shots by Megan Patierno and Brielle Pietrafesa supplied the foundation of the rally.
Key hits by Erin Trippi, Brittany Allocca, and Michaela Transue compiled the next four runs respectively. Pietrafesa capped off the rally with a three-run bomb over the centerfield wall.
Jessica Pelsak took over in the top of fifth inning after Pirone pitched three scoreless innings to cap off her outing.
Peslak struggled with two home runs by Holiday Cahill and Jessica South to compile three runs for Towson, cutting Hofstra’s lead to six runs.
Thus, the mercy rule – a team needs to be ahead by at least eight runs by the fifth inning – was no longer in effect thanks to the pair of homers.
After Trippi walked, Brittany Allocca put the final dagger in any hopes for Towson with her two-run blast over the left field wall to end the game in the bottom of the fifth.
Talyor Pirone received the win for four innings pitched, giving up six hits, three runs – two of which earned, – one walk but striking out seven in game one.
Hofstra softball had little time to rest after the first game as they had to play the Towson Tigers for a second time for the final game in the three-game series.
Towson was determined to win and ruin the sweep with an early 1-0 lead. Tateum Valentine came up to the plate against star-pitcher Morgan Lashley and Valentine launched a rocket over the left field fence to put the Tigers up in the top of the second.
Hofstra responded to that home run with a three runs in the bottom of the third. With Fitzgerald on first, junior Kim Smith drove the ball over the left field fence for a two-run homer to give the Pride a one-run lead. Sophomore Lacey Clark hit the ball to right field, driving in Erin Trippi to extend the lead to 3-1.
Lashley collapsed in the fourth inning after she gave up three runs on two home runs by Holiday Cahill and Missy McCormick to give the lead back to the Tigers, 4-3. Lashley finished the inning but Taylor Pirone took the mound in the next inning for her second appearance in the doubleheader.
Hofstra knotted the game at four with a single by Smith and a fielding error by Towson’s centerfielder drove in Pietrafesa.
The final blow from Hofstra’s powerhouse offense came from a two-run shot by freshmen Megan Patierno in the bottom of the fifth. Her hit was the deciding factor once Pirone secured the win in the top of the seventh.
Hofstra’s next game is this Wednesday versus Iona College at home in doubleheader fashion. Game one is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. and game two at 5:00 p.m.