Impressive pitching leads Hofstra to doubleheader sweep
The Hofstra softball team completed its sweep at the St. John’s Invitational with a 5-0 win over College of the Holy Cross and an 11-1 win over Wagner College on Sunday, March 17. They now have won their last five games and have nine wins in their last 10 games, bringing their record to 11-11. Mackenzie Suto and Madison Burns started on the mound for the Pride, each earning a win and combining to give up only one run.
Suto had her best outing as a member of the Pride so far against Holy Cross, allowing only three hits and striking out six batters in a shutout. The shutout is her second in her last four appearances. The only spot of trouble she found herself in was in the first inning, when she allowed Holy Cross leadoff hitter Bailey Chavez to reach second. Later in the inning, Erin Bengston hit a single and Chavez attempted to score from second, but Jaycee Ruberti was able to throw the runner out from left field to end the inning. That was the only hit she allowed with runners in scoring position. She didn’t allow a hit from the second to sixth inning, walking one batter and hitting another in that period.
Despite the Pride not putting a runner on base for the first two innings, their offense was able to figure out Wagner’s pitching, scoring runs in each of the next four innings. They used their speed to get their first run, as Imani Myint reached on a bunt single and steal second. She later scored on a single by Kristin Hallam. Meghan Giordano also kept her impressive freshman season going, hitting two home runs and driving in two RBIs. Giordano now has seven home runs this season to lead the Pride.
Kasey Collins and Alexis Goeke also collected RBI singles, providing insurance runs late in the game.
In the second game, Burns continued her dominant stretch over her last seven starts. She has recorded seven wins, including three complete games, all while lowering her ERA from 5.94 to 3.48. She allowed one run in the sixth inning, but the Pride had a substantial 7-0 lead at that time. She was in command of her pitches, striking out five batters and walking two. Additionally, she didn’t hit a single batter.
The offense was able to continue its success from the first game, scoring six runs in the first three innings and chasing Wagner’s starting pitcher from the game after two innings. The Pride rattled off 22 hits, including four-hit games from Collins, Courtney Scarpato and Ruberti. Collins and Scarpato also combined for six of the teams eight RBIs, including a two-run home run from Scarpato, her fourth of the season.
The Pride looks to continue their hot streak on Wednesday, March 20, against Long Island University Brooklyn in Hofstra’s home opener.
Image courtesy of Hofstra Athletics
