April 27, 2006

Box Score

Game two box

Hempstead, NY - The Wagner College Seahawks earned a split at Hofstra University in softball action this afternoon. Wagner dropped game one 4-2, before taking the second contest by a final of 4-3. Seahawks improve their season record to 29-15 on the season, while Hofstra, a back to back NCAA regional finalist, moved to 30-14.

Wagner's seventh inning rally in the opener came up just short as the Seahawk's 10 game winning streak was stopped. Trailing 4-0 in the top of the seventh, freshman Jaclyn Vanore (Palisades Park, NJ / Paramus Catholic) led off the inning with a single into center. After a pop out, sophomore Ami Iwicki (Flemington, NJ / Hunterdon Central) placed runners on the corners with a single of her own.

Junior Margaret Gallia (Las Vegas, NV / Community College HS) drove in pinch runner Cindy Bagnoli (Old Tappen, NJ / Old Tappen) for the first Wagner run. Senior Christy Sykora (Orland Park, IL / Carl Sandburg) added an infield base hit before sophomore Katie Stevens (Reno, NV / Wooster) knocked in a second run on a fielder's choice. The Seahawks comeback would die there however as a groundout to short closed out the game.

After neither team scored for the first four innings, Hofstra broke through for two in the last of the fifth. A single to left and a double just inside the left field line by leading hitter Ashley Lane accounted for the first run. Lane would later come home on passed ball for a 2-0 lead.

In the sixth Lisa Wambold led off with a solo homer to left, before a sacrifice fly by Sweeney made it 4-0.

For Wagner, junior Morgan Miller (Las Vegas, NV / Silverado) was given the loss falling to 15-7 on the season. She scattered nine hits, while giving up three earned runs. Kayleigh Lotti (14-5) went the first six innings to pick up the win for the Pride.

Senior Joy Gallagher (Hazleton, PA / Hazleton) continued her hitting streak going 2-3 in the game.

		R	H	E
	Wagner	2	7	1
	Hofstra	4	9	1
		

		R	H	E
	Wagner	4	8	1
	Hofstra	3	4	1

Game two saw the Seahawks earn a 1-0 lead in the top of the first as they recorded two hits and junior Christina Hopkins (Edison, NJ / Edison) forced in a run with a bases loaded hit by pitch.

The lead grew to 3-0 in the fourth as Iwicki lined a RBI single off the third baseman's glove and freshman Andrea Lazzari (Reno, NV / Wooster) this week's NEC Rookie of the Week, contributed a sacrifice fly.

After three quality innings to start the game freshman Kasey Kraft (Redding, CA / Foothill) ran into trouble in the fourth, allowing back to back one out walks that set up a two out three run homer from Melissa Hodge to tie the game.

The never say die Seahawks fought back and regained the lead in the upper half of the fifth. Batistelli drew a two out walk and then scored from first on a double into right by Gallia the reigning Northeast Conference Player of the Week.

The lead would hold up with junior Dara Gadziala (E. Brunswick, NJ / E. Brunswick) on the mound. After taking over with two outs in the fourth, the junior righty allowed just two hits and struck out five to improve to 13-3 on the year.

Gallagher had two more hits in the game, bringing her hitting streak to 17 games. Stevens and Gallia also had two hits each in the win.

Wagner continues Northeast Conference play on the road this weekend at Fairleigh Dickinson on Saturday and at Sacred Heart on Sunday.

~ wagnerathletics.com ~