Hempstead, N.Y. – Senior Olivia Galati was dominant in throwing back-to-back shutouts to lead Hofstra to a pair of 1-0 victories in sweeping a doubleheader against James Madison in a crucial Colonial Athletic Association showdown on Saturday afternoon at Hofstra Softball Stadium.
Galati threw a one-hitter in the opener and a two-hitter in the second game, compiling 19 total strikeouts without allowing a walk to help Hofstra improve to 35-11 and 14-2. James Madison committed five total errors on the day with both runs allowed unearned to drop to 36-12 and 15-2.
In a battle of first-and-second place teams, Hofstra shaved JMU's lead in the standings to a half-game thanks to clutch hitting from sophomore catcher Erin Trippi. Besides catching every Galati pitch behind the plate, Trippi lined a crucial two-out single to score freshman Chloe Fitzgerald in the opener of Game 1 and her hard-hit ball forced an error that brought home senior Tessa Ziemba to break a scoreless tie in the sixth inning of Game 2.
Galati was electric in not allowing a JMU runner past first base. The only hit she allowed in the first game was a Jailyn Ford clean infield single in the fifth. Only Sarah Mooney and Catherine Clavin could muster singles in the second game against Galati. The right-hander from West Babylon, N.Y. improved to 30-10. Galati now has posted consecutive 30-win seasons and is the only Hofstra player ever to reach that mark.
In CAA play this season, Galati is 14-2 with a miniscule 0.88 ERA and 144 strikeouts (against just eight walks) in 104 innings. She has nine shutouts in league play and now has 15 shutouts and 37 complete games in the campaign.
JMU also saw great pitching performances from its' righty-lefty duo of Heather Kiefer and Ford. Kiefer held Hofstra to three hits in Game 1 and was victimized by three Dukes errors in the bottom of the first that led to the only run.
Fitzgerald reached when Hannah Hayes bobbled the ball at second to start the first. Tori Rocha hit a soft come-backer back to the circle that Kiefer misplayed for JMU's second straight error. The right-hander went a long way towards escaping the jam by getting a double play. But Trippi lined a 2-2 pitch into center for the game-opening run that proved to be the difference.
Galati didn't need any additional support, retiring the side in six out of seven innings and facing one over the minimum. In front of a season-high crowd of more than 500 people, Galati finished the game strong, throwing a 1-2-3 seventh and capping the contest by striking out Ford. Kiefer fell to 13-6.
JMU's top-four hitters went 0-for-12 with six strikeouts in Game 1. Combined for both games, Galati held the Dukes top-third of the order to a combined 0-for-18.
Galati and Ford engaged in another exciting pitchers' duel in the second game. Ford, a freshman lefty, allowed just four hits and struck out seven against just one walk. But Hofstra dropped the southpaw to 19-3 on the season with an unearned run in the bottom of the sixth.
Ziemba helped to finally break a deadlock in the bottom of the sixth. In the lefty-on-lefty matchup, Ziemba locked in and smashed a leadoff double to center. Trippi then came up and hit a ball to second that Hayes couldn't glove cleanly for an error as the ball rolled into right field. Ziemba raced around third and beat the throw home.
JMU tried to mount a comeback attempt when Erica Field hit a long fly ball towards the right-center gap to lead off the seventh. Freshman Caryn Bailey got a great jump on the ball in right and made a running catch for the first out.
Mooney, who entered the series with a .416 average, grounded out and, with the crowd on their feet, struck out Ford to complete the doubleheader sweep.
Hofstra and James Madison will conclude the series on Sunday at noon from Hofstra Softball Stadium.
