Hofstra Ready for Play in NCAA Regional
Hunter Peters
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NORMAN, Okla. (May 18, 2023) – CAA Softball Champion Hofstra begins play in the NCAA Tournament on Friday at 5 p.m., opening against the two-time defending National Champion and top-seeded Oklahoma at Marita Hynes Field. The game will be aired live on ESPNU.
Joining the Pride and Sooners on the University of Oklahoma’s campus are at-large selections, California and Missouri. The regional format is double elimination, with the winner advancing to an NCAA Super Regional against the winner of the Clemson Regional.
Hofstra (29-25) is making its 18th appearance in the NCAA Tournament after winning its league-best 13th CAA Softball Championship. The Pride has won at least one regional game in each of its 13 trips to the tournament as a CAA member, including a Super Regional appearance in 2012.
Meghan Giordano was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Championship after posting a .565 on-base percentage, hitting .444 (8-18) with two home runs, two doubles, seven RBIs, seven runs scored and five walks. The graduate shortstop was a Second Team All-CAA selection, sporting a 1.176 OPS with 56 hits, 15 home runs, 48 RBIs and 41 runs scored. Giordano leads the CAA in on-base percentage (.459), slugging percentage (.719), home runs and RBIs while ranking second in runs scored and eighth in batting average (.352).
Kasey Collins and Chelsea Manto were First Team All-CAA selections at second base and outfield, respectively. Collins joined Giordano on the CAA Championship All-Tournament team, batting .450 (9-20) with five runs scored and three RBIs. The graduate second baseman is hitting .333 for the season with a team-high 59 hits, adding 40 runs scored and 20 RBIs. Manto holds her own, hitting .304 with 35 runs scored. The speedster also leads the CAA with 27 stolen bases.
Oklahoma (51-1) is the two-time defending National Champion and received the No. 1 seed for the fourth year in a row. The Sooners have been a national seed for each of the past 16 seasons, hosting a regional for the 12th straight. The Big 12 Champions rank first in the NCAA in team batting average (.368) and team ERA (0.86). Big 12 Player of the Year, Jayda Coleman leads the Oklahoma lineup, hitting .434 with 14 home runs, 57 runs scored and 42 RBIs. In the circle, Jordy Bahl (15-1) made a team-high 30 appearances, posting a 1.15 ERA with 143 strikeouts en route to Big 12 Pitcher of the Year accolades. Oklahoma has advanced to the WCWS 15 times and has won the third-most national titles (6) all-time.
California (33-19-1) is making its 34th postseason appearance in program history but the first since 2018. The Golden Bears posted their first 30-win season since their last appearance in the NCAA Tournament after advancing to the Pac-12 Championship quarterfinals. Cal has pop in the batter’s box, leading the Pac 12 in extra-base hits (151), home runs (67) and doubles (78). First Team All-Pac 12 selection Makena Smith batted .352 and led the Golden Bears in hits (57), doubles (13), home runs (14) and RBIs (44) and runs scored (39). Tatum Anzaldo also earned First Team All-Pac 12 accolades after leading the team with a .390 batting average. She tallied 55 hits, 36 runs scored and 21 RBIs atop the Cal lineup.
Missouri (34-24), led by former Hofstra head coach Larissa Anderson, will be making its 16th straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament and 26th overall. The Tigers recorded their fifth consecutive 30-win season before falling in the First Round of the SEC Championship. Alex Honnold paced the Mizzou lineup, hitting .414 with 60 hits, 13 home runs, 51 runs scored and 46 RBIs. She was a First Team All-SEC selection posting a 1.354 OPS with a .554 on-base percentage and a .800 slugging percentage. Jenna Laird joined her teammate on the First Team All-SEC, batting .340 with a team-high 64 hits. Laird added 49 runs scored, 30 stolen bases and 29 RBIs.
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