May 18, 2013
Recap | Final Stats | Quotes
Columbia Regional - 2013 NCAA Division I Softball Championship
Game Five: Hofstra (45-12) 8, Oregon State (34-24) 4
Hofstra and Oregon State battled in the NCAA Columbia Regional's first extra-inning contest and Hofstra earned an 8-4 win fueled by solo home runs in the 10th inning from Maggie Hawkins and starting pitcher Olivia Galati and a game-clinching three-run shot from centerfielder Tessa Ziemba.
Hawkins launched her fourth home run of the season to break a 3-3 tie in the top of the 10th and Galati followed one out later with her first of the year. With two runners on, Ziemba also went to center for her team-leading 14th home run of 2013.
Hofstra had not logged a home run in its first two games of the Regional before the three round-trippers in the 10th. The team now has 54 on the year, the most in school history. The previous single-season high was 50 in 2003.
Hofstra will need two wins against Missouri on Sunday to advance to its second consecutive NCAA Super Regional.
Galati was the star on Saturday night. In addition to her solo shot, the senior threw a season high 10.0 innings and improved to 39-11 on the year. She improved to 2-1 when starting a game that went into extra innings. She earned a 1-0 win in 9.0 innings in a win over Towson on May 4 and fell 1-0 in 8.0 innings in a loss to Rutgers on April 3.
In her 10.0 innings Galati struck out nine and did not walk a batter.
Hofstra opened the game's scoring with a three-run fifth inning. Unlike the 10th inning, the Pride didn't record a hit in the top half of that first scoring frame, but drew four walks and had a hit batter to forge in front 3-0.
Hofstra did have its third player thrown out at home plate in the Columbia Regional. The Pride had two on with two out when OSU's Ya Garcia was able to cut down Becca Bigler attempting to score on an infield fielder's choice. The Pride also had runners thrown out at home in the first meeting with Oregon State and in the loss to Mizzou earlier on Saturday.
Oregon State strung together 10 hits off Pride starter, Galati. It was the most hits allowed in a start by the senior All-American since giving up 10 to Florida State in 6.0 innings of work on Feb. 16.
Oregon State also pushed across four runs, the most against Galati since James Madison scored four runs against her on April 28.
Oregon State was led offensively by Lea Cavestany and Elizabeth Santana with two hits apiece. The Beavers scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth to rally back from a 3-0 deficit and tied the game 3-3 in the bottom of the sixth.