Hempstead, N.Y. – Hofstra will look to close the regular season with momentum with a non-conference road game Wednesday at Fairfield with a 4 p.m. start followed by a three-game league series versus Towson beginning with a Friday doubleheader at 2 p.m.
After moving into sole possession of first place in the Colonial Athletic Association, Hofstra will look to lock up the regular season title with a strong showing against the Tigers. Hofstra improved to 36-11 and 15-2 in the CAA with a three-game sweep over James Madison over the weekend, moving the Pride a half-game ahead of the Dukes for the top spot in the standings.
The Pride will attempt to clinch the CAA's regular season title for the 11th time in 12 seasons. To do so, Hofstra will need to sustain the recent hot play that has led to wins in 18 of the last 19 games overall. All three games against Towson can be heard through Pride Zone.
Fairfield (25-18, 9-5 MAAC) will represent a non-league challenge as the Stags have won three in a row, including a sweep over Canisius and a win over Sacred Heart. Hofstra is 3-0 in the all-time series, including a 5-0 home win in 2010 in the last meeting between the schools.
Towson has already clinched an appearance in the CAA Tournament and will look to stave off Delaware for the third seed. The Tigers (29-23-1, 11-7) are red-hot, having won 12 in a row and have been victorious in the last 10 league games following sweeps over George Mason, UNC Wilmington and Drexel.
The Pride and Tigers will wrap the series on Saturday at noon with Senior Day at Hofstra Softball Stadium. Hofstra will honor seven seniors – Tessa Ziemba, Olivia Galati, Rachael Senatore, Jess Hirschbuhl, D.J. Slugh, Nicole Osovski and Becca Bigler – in a pregame ceremony.
The senior class has helped Hofstra post a 163-51 record since 2010, including a staggering 71-5 record in regular season play against CAA competition, which is good for a .934 winning percentage. The septet helped Hofstra register the program's first-ever undefeated CAA season in 2012, leading the squad to 22 overall victories over conference opponents en route to a league title and the program's first NCAA Regional championship.
Ziemba is one of the best power hitters and run producers in program history. The Wilmington, Del. native is second on Hofstra's career list for home runs (37) and RBIs (164). She trails only Ashley Lane's record of 40 home runs and 180 RBIs set in a career that spanned 2004-07.
A 2012 NFCA first-team NFCA All-Northeast region selection, Ziemba has provided the lineup with an impact bat since her freshman year. The outfielder has driven in 34-plus runs in each of her four seasons, including a career-high 45 RBIs in her junior campaign in which she also tied Bigler for the CAA lead in home runs with 12.
Hirschbuhl has provided a veteran presence while making invaluable contributions as both a hitter and a third baseman for the Pride. After an arm injury cut short her 2012 campaign, Hirschbuhl took a medical redshirt and returned stronger than ever in batting .346 with starting all 47 games for Hofstra. The Jamison, Pa. product has added power as well, hitting six home runs with 28 RBIs while posting a .431 on-base percentage. In the field, Hirschbuhl has converted all but three of her 112 total chances to give the Pride a sure-handed fielder at the hot corner.
Bigler once again has provided offense at a premium position. The veteran shortstop is on pace to bat .300 for the second consecutive season. She has already set a career high with 37 RBIs this season, breaking her previous high of 34 set last season. As a junior, Bigler led the CAA in runs scored (41) and walks (31) while reaching base safely in 31 consecutive games. Her impact on the lineup was shown in the team's 41-4 record when she batted second. As a senior, Bigler is one of just four players to start every game and already has 10 home runs to put her within one of tying her career high. The Bainbridge, Pa. native was named the CAA Player of the Week on April 15.
Slugh has made an impact with her glove in providing steady defense in left field. She has also delivered clutch hits when called upon to bat, lining 14 base hits in 62 at-bats while scoring eight runs and driving in seven. She has shown good range and solid arm, notching three outfield assists this season. The Marlboro, N.J. native was also a big part of Hofstra's deep postseason run in 2012, most notably for her 11th-inning pinch-hit single against USF in Game 1 of the Super Regionals. Slugh eventually scored the game-winning run that put Hofstra within one victory of reaching of the Women's College World Series.
Osovski was Hofstra's primary first baseman in 2012 and has played an important defensive role as a reserve this season. Osovksi played in 44 games last year primarily in first base/flex position. She finished with a .985 fielding percentage, handling 192 of 195 total chances. A four-year member of the Pride, Osovski (Endicott, N.Y.) has appeared in 18 games in 2013, including eight starts.
Senatore was the offensive catalyst of the 2012 squad before an injury sidelined her this season. The Sparta, N.J. native led the CAA in hits (71) and hits-per-game (1.25) as a junior and finished in the league's top-five in hits, triples (3), stolen bases (12), runs scored (38), total bases and on-base percentage. As a centerfielder, Senatore was named first-team All-CAA and a NFCA All-Northeast region first-team pick. Despite her injury, Senatore is still an active part of the team and has helped mentor fellow slap-hitting leadoff hitter Chloe Fitzgerald in her freshman season.
Galati has produced one of the finest careers of any athlete in Hofstra history with a laundry list of impressive statistics and accolades. Her 2012 campaign was one for the ages with the right-hander leading all of Division I in ERA (0.95) and shutouts (17) to become the first-ever first-team All-America selection in program history. Galati owns every major pitching record in program history, including wins (120), strikeouts (1,338) appearances (171), starts (148), innings pitch (1,020 2/3) and no-hitters (10).
Out of those 10 no-hitters, three have been perfect games. That places her third all-time in NCAA history behind only South Carolina's Trinity Johnson (4 from 1995-97) and Fordham's Jen Mineau (5 from 2009-12).
Galati, who joined Stacy Jackson as the only four-time 20-game winner in Hofstra history, is the program's only 30-game winner after accomplishing the feat in back-to-back years. She went 34-7 in 2012 and could shatter that single season mark as she carries a 31-10 record into the week. The hurler from West Babylon, N.Y. was drafted No. 2 overall by the New York/New Jersey Comets in the National Pro Fastpitch college draft last month and is a two-time Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I Co-National Player of the Week award-winner.
Hofstra has defeated CAA opponents in 37 of the last 39 games and is 45-2 in the last 47 regular season league matchups.
