A four-run third inning pushed the Hofstra softball team past No. 10 James Madison in a 5-2 victory Sunday afternoon at Bill Edwards Stadium in the final game of the series. “We played great. We had timely hitting … we didn’t chase out of the strike zone [and] made some good plays defensively,” said Hofstra head coach Larissa Anderson.
All unearned runs, Brielle Pietrafesa knotted the ballgame at 2-2, scoring on a passed ball. With runners in scoring position, senior Lacey Clark roped a single to left field, plating two Pride baserunners to give Hofstra a 4-2 lead. To cap the inning, Kaitlyne Musa laced her first double of the year, which brought in Clark to score.
This upset handed Megan Good her first loss of the year; she is now 18-1 with a 0.24 earned run average. For the game, she tossed five innings, allowing five runs (one earned) with nine strikeouts and two walks. For the series, Good threw 12 innings with 16 strikeouts and one earned run.
Her counterpart was Sarah Cornell (9-5), who threw a complete game six-hitter with two runs surrendered and three strikeouts – a bounce back outing after giving up 10 runs Saturday.
“A very impressive performance by Sarah Cornell. It’s learning how to pitch in these situations. It’s learning from the opportunities she had yesterday with leaving the ball over the heart of the plate,” Anderson said.
The series finale began with a bang. Good, on the offensive end, launched her fourth home run of the year in the first inning with a solo shot.
Hofstra answered in the bottom of the frame with a solo home run off the bat of Pietrafesa, her second round-tripper this season.
For the game, the Pride compiled seven hits. Musa finished with two while five others each had one.
For the Dukes, Morgan Tolle and Paige Mitchell logged three combined doubles and four total hits.
Hofstra, now 10-12 (1-2 Colonial Athletic Association), returns to action March 29 against Rutgers University at Bill Edwards Stadium, a 4 p.m. start.