HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – The Marist Softball team fell in a pair of road games on Thursday at Hofstra, a 2012 NCAA Super Regional participant. Facing off against a team that graduated few key components off of last year's powerful squad, the Red Foxes hung tough throughout before being defeated 1-0 in Game One and 9-3 in Game Two.
Senior Emily Osterhaus (Suwanee, Ga.) led Marist in the first game as she threw a six-hitter in a pitcher's duel with All-American Olivia Galati, while junior Alyssa Zahka (Lexington, Mass.) highlighted the offense's effort in the night cap with two RBIs.
GAME ONE, HOFSTRA 1 – MARIST 0:
Similar to last week's doubleheader at Army, pitching was the name of the game in the first contest. With Galati in the circle for Hofstra, Marist answered with Osterhaus. The senior hurlers battled throughout the seven innings; they each posted scoreless first and second innings.
Hofstra finally broke through the stalemate in the bottom of the third inning when they strung together two hits and a sacrifice bunt to go up 1-0.
Galati, who had retired 9-of-9 batters to start the game, allowed her first and only base-runner in the top of the fourth inning when freshman Kyrsten Van Natta (Maplewood, N.J.) drew a walk; she was later erased on a caught stealing.
Both pitchers held the opposing offenses scoreless over the final three innings as Hofstra would earn the 1-0 win.
Galati was the victorious pitcher as she spun her ninth career no-hitter, while Osterhaus was the hard-luck loser with 6.0 innings pitched, six hits against and one run allowed. She retired seven Pride batters on ground balls back to the circle.
GAME TWO, HOFSTRA 9 – MARIST 3:
In the second game of the twinbill, a hot offensive start by the Pride set Marist back in a hole that they would be fighting out of throughout the remainder of the contest. In its first two offensive frames, Hofstra plated seven runs to jump ahead of the Red Foxes 7-0.
Unfazed by the potential eight-run shortened-victory rule, the Red Foxes would fight back on the strength of quality at bats to plate three runs over the next five innings.
Alyssa Zahka drove in Marist's first two runs as she singled in Danielle Koltz (Chenango Bridge, N.Y.) in the top of the third and connected for a sacrifice fly to score Maureen Duddy (San Mateo, Calif.) in the fifth.
Sophomore Taylor Kuzma (Freehold, N.J.) scored the Red Foxes' third run when she came around on an error by Hofstra's first baseman.
For the game, five Red Foxes finished with individual hits.
Starting pitcher Paige Lewis (Temecula, Calif.) took the loss with seven runs (six earned) allowed in one-plus innings pitched. Reliever Janine Lalli (Eastchester, N.Y.) threw five innings and allowed two runs, while striking out three.
The Red Foxes will have a quick turnaround as they will be back in action with a pair of doubleheaders this weekend. On Saturday, April 6 they travel to Seton Hall, before hosting Fairfield in their 2013 home opener on Sunday, April 7.
