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TOWSON, Md. - Looking to extend its season-best five game winning streak, Towson (25-23, 8-7 CAA) will host the Hofstra Pride (29-13, 13-0 CAA) for a three-game series this weekend, beginning with a doubleheader Saturday at 12 p.m.
The Tigers enter the weekend hot after sweeping a doubleheader against Mount St. Mary's Wednesday by scores of 3-0 and 8-4.
More importantly, the Tigers have won their last three Colonial Athletic Association games, taking all three games from George Mason on the road last weekend. Now 8-7 in league play, Towson remains in fourth place in the CAA standings and would be the final team in the CAA Tournament if the standings were to stay the same for the rest of the season.
Towson received a pair of excellent pitching performances against Mount St. Mary's, as freshman Missy McCormick threw her second career shutout in the Tigers' 3-0 game one victory. She allowed just eight baserunners in the game while picking up her sixth victory of the season and lowering her earned run average to 2.79.
In game two, senior Dominique Ortega threw 6.2 innings of one-run ball, helping the Tigers escape from an early 3-0 deficit. For Ortega, it was her third win of the season.
The Tigers exploded for six runs in the second inning after the Mount scored three runs in the first inning. The Tigers sent 10 batters to the plate and senior outfielder Brianna Jones had two hits in the inning.
Delanie Dunham had two hits and two runs, while Kelli Lyons finished 3-for-4 at the plate with a pair of runs batted in for the Tigers in the game two win.
Towson freshman shortstop Hailey Balk continued her hitting streak for the Tigers, and now has a hit in 18 straight games. That streak is the second longest in school history.
The Pride enter the weekend sporting an umblemished 13-0 league record. Hofstra's team batting average is .307, which leads the CAA, and the Pride have six players with batting averages higher than .300.
Olivia Galati not only leads the Pride with a .370 average at the plate, she is also the CAA leader in wins (22), E.R.A. (1.09) and strikeouts (245) in the circle.
The final game of the series will be Sunday at 1 p.m. at the Tiger Softball Complex. Prior to the start of the game, Towson's eight seniors will be recognized for their contributions to the program.
