Hofstra softball needs wins to advance in NCAA Super Regional
Hofstra's Sarah Cornell, the CAA Pitcher of the Year and a Clarke High School graduate, throws a pitch for the Pride. Credit: Hofstra Athletic Communications
The Hofstra softball team will need to win four games over the next two days to advance to the NCAA Division I Super Regionals after dropping its opening contest, 2-0, to Liberty in 10 innings at South Carolina University Friday.
Hofstra’s Sarah Cornell tossed nine scoreless innings before Kaitlin McFarland’s leadoff home run in the 10th inning. Madison Via followed with a triple before Cornell was removed for Sophie Dandola, a Seaford High School graduate who recorded the final three outs. Liberty scored its second run on a throwing error by the catcher.
Cornell, a Clarke High School standout, struck out five, surrendering five hits and two walks on 125 pitches.
Liberty, which held Hofstra to four hits, improves to 48-12 and Hofstra falls to 40-13. The Pride play the loser of South Carolina/UNC Greensboro Saturday at 3:30 p.m. and will play again at 6 p.m. with wins necessary to advance to Sunday, where they need to win twice to win the Regional.
Saint Anselm 5, LIU Post 0: The Pioneers were held to three hits and eliminated from the Division II softball Super Regionals with a 5-0 loss to host Saint Anselm. LIU Post lost the first game of the best-of-three series, 3-1, Thursday.
Saint Anselm (41-10-1) scored four runs in the fourth inning, courtesy of three RBI singles. Morgan Perry, also the Game 1 winner, pitched her second straight complete game.
LIU Post ends its season at 38-19 after winning the East 1 Regional and East Coast Conference championship to earn an automatic qualifier into the NCAA Division II Tournament.
