HOFSTRA SELECTED TO HOST NCAA SOFTBALL REGIONALS
Hempstead, NY -- The Hofstra Softball team will serve as the host for
an NCAA Regional for the third year in a row, opening play against
local rival Long Island on Friday at 2:30 p.m. Two-time defending
national champion Arizona will face Canisius in the other opening round
game at the Hempstead Regional, beginning at 12 noon.
Hofstra
(43-11) earned its way into the NCAA Tournament by winning the Colonial
Athletic Association championship in dramatic fashion on Sunday.
Needing to win twice in order to capture the title, the Pride outlasted
James Madison 3-1 in 11 innings in the first game on a walk-off home
run from senior Courtney Oliver (Swansea, MA).
Hofstra then won the second and deciding game 3-0 on a one-hitter from
junior pitcher Kayleigh Lotti (South Attleboro, MA), who threw all 18
innings of both games to pick up two wins and improve her record to
21-5 on the season.
The CAA title marked Hofstra's 11th
conference championship in a row, extending its NCAA record. The Pride
has won all seven CAA titles since the league began sponsoring softball
in 2002, after winning its final four titles as members of the America
East from 1998-2001.
Hofstra's 43 wins tie a school record which
was set in 2005. The Pride is 30-4 in its last 34 games since beginning
the year 7-7, as well as 18-1 in its last 19 games. Hofstra has had its
success with pitching and defense, as it currently ranks in the top 10
in the nation in both team ERA (1.08) and team fielding percentage
(.980).
The Pride met LIU (34-15) once before this season, with
Hofstra coming away with a 2-0 road win back on April 23, which snapped
a 13-game winning streak for the Blackbirds. Sara Michalowski
(Philadelphia, PA) earned the pitching win in that contest, outdueling
LIU's Blaire Porter, who did not allow an earned run as both Hofstra
runs came home on an error. LIU earned its way into the NCAA Tournament
by capturing the Northeast Conference title.
Arizona (36-16) has
won the last two national championships and is led by senior
All-American pitcher Taryne Mowatt. Canisius, meanwhile, has compiled a
38-12 record on the season and earned the automatic bid by capturing
the MAAC championship.
Hofstra hosted an NCAA Regional in
1993, but did not get the right to host again until 2006, when Arizona
State, Penn State and LIU all visited Hempstead. Hofstra defeated Penn
State 5-4 in eight innings in its first contest that season, and took
eventual regional champion Arizona State into extra innings in the
winner's bracket before falling 2-0. Last year, Baylor, Harvard and
Albany visited the Hempstead Regional, with Baylor emerging as the
regional champion. Hofstra defeated Harvard 3-2 in nine innings in the
first game, before falling to Baylor (7-2) and Albany (4-2).
2008 NCAA Hempstead Regional|
Friday, May 16
Game 1: Arizona (36-16) vs. Canisius (38-12), 12 p.m.
Game 2: Hofstra (43-11) vs. LIU (34-15), 2:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 17Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 10 a.m.
Game 4: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 12:30 p.m.
Game 5: Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner, 3 p.m.
Sunday, May 18Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 12 p.m.
Game 7: Same two teams (if necessary)