Olivia Galati Following Up Stellar Freshman Campaign With More Dominance in Circle

 Courtesy Hofstra Athletic Communications

After a stellar freshman season that saw her garner Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Rookie of the Year Honors, Hofstra softball pitcher Olivia Galati has certainly not had a sophomore slump and instead has become an even more dominant force in the circle.

Galati earned her third CAA Softball Pitcher of Week honor this past Monday after recording two complete-game victories over Connecticut to help the Pride capture the Hyatt Place Invitational at Hofstra Softball Stadium last weekend. In her last six appearances Galati has been on fire with 56 strikeouts and no walks while helping to lead the Pride to wins over Michigan State, Purdue, Buffalo and Connecticut. Scoring has been hard to come by against Galati all season with the sophomore boasting a 1.36 earned run average (ERA) in 15 appearances on the mound.

Hofsta softball tradition on display during 2010 CAA championship

Moments after capturing the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) title Friday afternoon on the strength of a no-hitter from freshman pitching phenom Olivia Galati the Hofstra softball team transported from its gold uniforms sported during the 3-0 win over Georgia State into old school white jerseys worn underneath. Accepting the CAA championship trophy in the same uniforms worn by past great Hofstra teams was a way of paying homage to past great players who have laid the groundwork for what has become one of the top college softball programs in the northeast.

Hofstra’s 2010 CAA championship was the program’s 12th conference crown in 13 seasons and for every one of those the old school white jerseys have been worn for the title game. “We keep them and break them out once a year,” said Hofstra head softball coach Bill Edwards of the tradition of sporting the white jerseys in conference title games. “The significance is that we’re sending a message to our alumni that everybody is apart of the program.”

“Every time we have worn them in a championship game we have never lost and that tradition continues,” said Galati, whose no-hitter was the first in CAA Tournament history.

Hofstra softball ace Olivia Galati receiving much deserved media attention

The first place Hofstra softball team has a chance to clinch home field advantage for the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Tournament this weekend by taking two of three games at second place Georgia State. A major reason why Hofstra (34-9 and 13-1 in the CAA) is position to win a conference title and return to the NCAA Tournament after missing it for the first time since 2002 last year is ace freshman pitcher Olivia Galati, who enters the series at 20-5 with a 1.26 ERA.

Galati, the 2009 New York State Gatorade Player of the Year winner at St. John's the Baptist High School, has played like a veteran early her college softball career and is receiving well deserved media attention. On April 26 Long Island Pulse published a story on how the 5'5 Galati has made a seamless transition from high school to college pitching. Newsday and Spy Softball also penned features on Galati earlier this month. With the physical and mental toughness Galati has displayed as only a freshman there should be many more articles to come for Hofstra's ace in the circle.

Hofstra softball off to fast start in CAA

One year after its 11-year run of capturing a conference title came to a close the Hofstra softball team is making an early season statement in Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) play that the beginning of a new streak may soon be around the corner. The Pride completed its second straight weekend conference three-game sweep Saturday with a 2-0 win over George Mason to have first place all to itself in the beginning of the CAA slate.

“Anytime you can win a series it certainly helps your chances to get to the playoffs, anytime you sweep a series now you’re talking about possibly hosting it,” said Hofstra softball head coach Bill Edwards following Hofstra’s 2-0 win over George Mason thanks to a two-run sixth inning single from junior third baseman Sara Michalowski. “When [a sweep] happens it is obviously very, very gratifying.”

Hofstra softball continues hot play in first home games of 2010

After playing its first 13 games on the road the Hofstra softball team was excited for some home cooking this weekend, especially freshman pitcher Olivia Galati, who attended many Pride games growing up in West Babylon. Galati did not disappoint her many friends and family who flocked to Hofstra Softball Stadium Saturday and Sunday as the St. John the Baptist product tossed 23 strikeouts in victories over Connecticut and Boston University to help the Pride improve to 13-4.

 “It is seriously like a dream come true" said Galati of her Hofstra Softball Stadium debut as a college player. "I’ve been looking to come here and I’ve been coming to games my whole life here and to actually step on the field and say this is my home field is really, really cool."

Galati’s efforts helped the Pride win three of four games in the Hofstra Invitational and remain hot in non-conference play. She earned Sunday’s 2-1 win over BU thanks to a walk-off home run from junior third baseman Sarah Michalowski in the bottom of the seventh after Michele DePasquale tied it in the sixth with an RBI double. Coming into the Hofstra Invitational the Pride were ranked 23rd in the Ultimate College Softball  top 25 poll after achieving several impressive wins at tournaments in Tampa, Fla, Columbus, Ga. and Louisville, Ky.

Hofstra softball's hot start getting national attention

In its opening two weekends of the 2010 season the Hofstra softball program has made quite a splash on a national level. Against top-level competition at two tournaments in Florida and Georgia the Pride are off to 9-1 start that has catapulted them to 25th in the latest Ultimate College Softball top 25 poll.

Hofstra's hot start featured wins over North Dakota State, North Carolina State, Michigan State, Wright State, South Florida, Virginia Tech, Kent State and Mississippi State. The only loss came to 22nd ranked Florida State. The 9-1 start matches program's best since 1994, when Hofstra finished the season ranked 20th in the nation after going 39-16 but were snubbed of an NCAA Tournament bid.

Hofstra's nine wins have featured several close games with six of its nine victories coming by one run. "The big thing is that we are playing clutch," said Hofstra softball head coach Bill Edwards of his team's 9-1 start. "We're on a roll."