May 18, 2013
Final Stats | Quotes | Notes
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Hofstra went off for five runs, all on home runs, in the top of the 10th inning to record an 8-4 win over Oregon State in game five of the NCAA Columbia Regional Saturday at University Field. The Pride (45-12) advance to face Mizzou (37-11) for the regional championship on Sunday, May 19, at 1 p.m. A Hofstra win in Sunday's first game would force a second game at 3:30 p.m. in a winner-take-all contest.
With the game deadlocked at 3-3 in the top of the 10th, Hofstra first baseman Maggie Hawkins led off the inning with a homer to left center to put the Pride up 4-3. Two batters later, Pride pitcher Olivia Galati smacked her first home run of the season to give Hofstra a 5-3 advantage.
A walk and a single then put two runners on for center fielder Tessa Ziemba, who cranked her team-leading 14th home run to break the game open for an 8-3 Hofstra lead.
Oregon State plated one run in the bottom of the 10th when shortstop Elizabeth Santana tripled in right fielder Maggie Doremus but the Pride held on for the win.
Galati improved to 39-11 on the year after allowing four runs and 10 hits, but striking out nine. Oregon State's Marina Demore took the loss in relief and concluded 2012 with a 20-13 record.
Hofstra struck first with three runs in the top of the third inning despite not recording a hit in the frame. Shortstop Becca Bigler opened the inning with a walk, followed by an infield hit by designated player Chloe Fitzgerald. With two down, catcher Erin Trippi was hit by the pitch to load the bases for third baseman Jess Hirschbuhl, who walked in the first run of the game. Oregon State starting pitcher Tina Andreana then threw a wild pitch that scored second baseman Tori Rocha for a 2-0 Pride lead. Hawkins walked to again load the bases before Andreana walked in right fielder Caryn Bailey for a 3-0 Hofstra advantage.
The Beavers responded with two runs in the bottom of the fifth to pull within 3-2. Designated player Christie Langlois opened the inning with a single to left and catcher Ally Kutz doubled down the left field line to put runners on second and third with one out. A groundout to the shortstop scored Oregon State's first run, before center fielder Lea Cavestany singled through the right side to score Kutz for a 3-2 game.
Trailing 3-2 heading into the bottom of the sixth, Oregon State's Santana opened with a double to right center. She advanced to third on a wild pitch and came around to knot the game at 3-3 when third baseman Desiree Beltran rocked a single to center.
Fans are encouraged to check MUTigers.com and the softball team's social media outlets, @MizzouSoftball and Facebook, for continued updates on the Tigers and the Columbia Regional.