HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – Villanova softball suffered a defeat in its first game in the state of New York this week, falling to the Hofstra Pride 4-1 on Thursday afternoon.
Dani Dabroski, Ally Jones and Elaina Wagner all registered two hits for Villanova (22-18), marking the first two-hit game of Wagner's college career. Brooklyn Ostrowski reached base a pair of times with a walk and VU's lone extra-base hit and Sydney Hayes singled and drew a walk in the contest as well.
Alyssa Seidler tossed four stanzas of no-hit ball as the starter for the 'Cats, striking out a career-high five batters in her outing. Peyton Schnackenberg received the loss after surrendering three earned runs in 1.2 innings, and Caroline Pellicano provided the final out in the circle for Villanova.
The Wildcats started the scoring in the second frame, as Wagner began the baserunners with a single through the right side before an Ostrowski walk and Hayes base knock put ducks on the pond. Tess Cites then lifted a ball into left field for a sac fly, bringing Wagner home and giving VU a 1-0 advantage.
Ostrowski roped a double down the third base line to reach second with two down in the fourth, then Hayes made it two runners aboard with a base on balls but the score remained the same.
Hofstra loaded the bases in the fourth on two walks and a hit by pitch, but a leaping catch up the middle by Wagner and a basket catch in left from Cites kept the home team scoreless.
The Pride got their first hit of the game with an infield single in the fifth, but could not make anything out of the opportunity.
Hofstra put a runner in scoring position to begin the sixth, lifting a double to the fence in right field and sacrificing her over to third.
After Ostrowski snared a line drive to make it two outs, the eighth hitter singled through the right side to tie the game. The Pride then brought on a pinch hitter, Madison McKevitt, and she proceeded to put her squad ahead 3-1 with a two-out home run. Hofstra added to that lead with another RBI single, bringing home a runner that reached on a walk.
In the Wildcats' final hacks, Cites worked a walk and Dabroski lifted a pitch over third base for a single after an eight-pitch at-bat. But back-to-back groundouts ended VU's chances at a comeback and completed the game with a 4-1 Hofstra victory.
UP NEXT: The Wildcats will remain in the Empire State, heading to Queens for a three-game weekend series against BIG EAST foe St. John's at Red Storm Field.
