After picking up the first win of the Susan Cassidy-Lyke coaching era, the Hofstra University softball team fell 6-3 to George Mason University in the finale of the George Mason Tournament on Saturday, Feb. 21. The Pride fell to 1-7 on the young season, while the Patriots moved to 5-3.
Victoria Frobosilo had the only two-hit game for the Pride; Kaleigh Friend and Payton Auerbach notched two hits and an RBI apiece in the win for the Patriots.
Freshman Madison Steppe got the start in the circle for Hofstra. Steppe allowed three earned runs on six hits across three innings. Kailyn Haig made her third relief appearance of her collegiate career. She saw her longest appearance thus far, pitching three innings of work and allowing two earned runs on two hits and two walks.
George Mason’s pitching staff looked sharp, allowing just two earned runs. Bri Lencz got the start and allowed the only earned runs in her three innings in the circle, while bullpen arm Abbey Lane worked four innings of scoreless softball.
After stranding a baserunner in the first, the Patriots played small ball to earn a run in the bottom of the second frame. Logan Pickford started the inning off with a single to left and cruised into second on a misplay by left fielder Chelsea Villar. Friend followed with an RBI double to right field. Friend tried to extend her double into a triple, but right fielder Frobosilo gunned Friend down for the first out of the inning. Steppe successfully retired the next two batters to get out of the inning.
Hofstra struggled to get their offense going, and George Mason kept mashing in the bottom of the third inning. Leadoff hitter Auerbach got things going with a single up the middle and advanced to second on Maddie Lemasters’ single to right field. Heads-up baserunning put two runners in scoring position on Tess Altevers Harris’ foul out. Madi Sobota brought both baserunners home on a triple through the right-center field gap to give the Patriots the 3-0 heading into the fourth.
The Pride answered in the following frame, knotting the score at three all. Gabby Sultan capitalized on back-to-back errors to get into scoring position. Villar was brought aboard on a hit by pitch to set up Mackenzie Fitzgerald for an RBI double down the left field line. Lane came in relief for Lencz after giving up the double, but Lane struggled to set in early, walking Frobosilo. Nicole Cancel brought in two runs on single through the right side.
The Patriots responded in the bottom of the inning. Friend’s single to left center field ended Steppe’s day and brought Haig in. Haig forced a flyout to the first hitter she faced but walked the following hitter. A double steal put both Patriots baserunners into scoring position, setting up Auerbach for an RBI single. Auerbach advanced to second on the throw home, and Jessica Chan kept the scoring rolling with a single up the middle that brought home two runs to give the Patriots the 6-3 lead.
The pitching stood strong on both sides throughout the final three innings, allowing limited baserunners and no runs.
The Pride look to pick up their second win of the season at the Lakeside Book Company Invitational in Harrisburg, Virginia. Hofstra will face the University at Buffalo and former Coastal Athletic Association foe James Madison University, who went on a Women’s College World Series run in 2021. First pitch is set for Friday, Feb. 27, at 1 p.m. against the Bulls.
