Softball Drops a Pair at the Hofstra Invitational

(Iona boxscore) / (Hofstra boxscore)

3/26/05 -- The Long Island softball team dropped a pair of games, 3-2 to Iona and 15-0 to Hofstra, at the Hofstra Invitational in Hempstead, N.Y. this afternoon.

In the first contest, LIU got on the board in the fifth as freshman Vanessa Mejia (Roanoke, Va.) doubled to open the frame. Classmate Celina Castillo (Belmont, Calif.) tripled to right center to bring home Mejia and even the game, 1-1.

Sophomore Randi Gillespie (Saratoga, Calif.) knocked in Castillo as the Blackbirds took a 2-1 advantage into the bottom of the inning.

The lead was short lived as the Gaels capitalized on two errors to take a 3-2 edge into the sixth inning, a lead they would not relinquish.

Senior Jackie Brown (Westminster, Calif.) suffered the loss, going the distance for LIU. She allowed three runs and eight hits, with one walk and two strikeouts. Alison Higgs got the victory, allowing one hit and no runs over three innings.

In the second game, Hofstra opened a 4-0 lead in the first on a three-run shot by Hailey Clark. She blew open the game in the next frame with her second three-run smash of the contest as the Pride took a 10-0 lead into the third.

Clark, who finished 4-for-4 with 10 RBI, doubled to left center in the third to give Hofstra a commanding 13-0 lead. Amy Belonick got the win, hurling four scoreless innings with a strikeout and allowing two hits.

Senior Chelsea Crosby (Reno, Nev.) took the loss, pitching 2 1/3 innings for LIU.

The Blackbirds begin Northeast Conference play Saturday, April 2 as they host Robert Morris. The doubleheader is set for 1:00 pm.