The Hofstra softball team celebrated Senior Day in style on Sunday afternoon, making quick work of Drexel University with an 8-0 mercy-rule victory – the Pride’s sixteenth victory in a row.
Before first pitch, Hofstra held a small ceremony to commemorate the seven seniors that would be playing their final game at Bill Edwards Stadium. The players being honored today were Brittany Allocca, Brielle Pietrafesa, Sarah Edwards, Michaela Transue, Kaitlyne Musa, Nikki Michalowski and Megan Patierno.
In the final game of the three-game series versus Drexel, Sarah Cornell took the mound for the second time in the series hoping to extend the Pride’s winning streak to 16 games.
Cornell threw five strong innings allowing three hits, no runs and striking out eight batters to get the win for the Pride.
“Another great outing by Sarah Cornell. [She] really controlled the strike zone, she threw key pitches in some key situations,” said Hofstra head coach Larissa Anderson.
Cornell earned her eighth solo shutout of the season.
Drexel came out attacking Cornell in the top of the first inning and put pressure on the Pride’s defense, but Cornell battled through it and did not allow a run.
In the bottom of the first inning, the first three batters for the Pride got on base. Kristin Hallam and Pietrafesa pulled off a double steal when Allocca caught Drexel by surprise by squaring to bunt. The Pride got on the board early when cleanup hitter Edwards hit a two-run single to left field, scoring Hallam and Pietrafesa.
Courtney Scarpato reached base on an error by the third baseman scoring Allocca. Musa ended the inning with a double to right center field but was thrown out trying to reach third on the hit. Scarpato and Edwards scored off of the hit from Musa. Hofstra ended the first inning 5-0.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Transue hit a single through the left side and advanced to second on a bunt by Hallam. Then Pietrafesa singled up the middle to load the bases. Allocca flew out to the second base. Drexel pitcher Katie Haley walked Edwards with the bases loaded allowing Transue to score. Scarpato ended the inning with on a fly out to centerfield, leaving three runners on base.
Cornell would cruise through the next few innings, retiring nine consecutive batters without surrendering a hit. Drexel finally got a hit in the top of the fifth inning when Reilly Jo Swanson roped a double to left field.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Musa walked and advanced to second base on a single up the middle by Transue. Hallam had a perfectly placed bunt between the pitcher and catcher to load up the bases. Pietrafesa hit a two-run single up the middle to score Musa and Transue and bring the game to an early game
Transue extended her hitting streak to 10 games. Allocca had two walks in the game, tying the single-season walk record with 35.
“Offensively we were selectively aggressive. We were taking pitches we need[ed] to take and hitting balls hard that we need[ed] to swing at,” Anderson said.
The Pride are now 15-0 in Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) play. They ended the season 13-1 at home.
Hofstra hopes to extend their winning streak even further as they head down to James Madison University next weekend, who currently sits No. 2 in the CAA conference right behind the Pride. Before then, they will take on Stony Brook University on Thursday at 4 p.m.