By Tim Robertson

The Pride softball team faces its most formidable challenge on Friday, probably the most formidable in the team’s history, when it goes toe-to-toe with the U.S. Olympic team – the winners of all three softball Olympic gold medals. “We’re excited to bring our best and give them a run for it,” sophomore Kris Root said. Hofstra will help the U.S. National team prepare for this summer’s Olympics in Beijing, the final Olympics with softball. Game time is set for 8:30 p.m. on Friday in Florida. “It will be weird playing against the people that you looked up to since about four-years-old. It’s an experience, one that we’ll remember forever,” Root said. Coach Edwards added, “It should be a very special award for us and our program to prepare them. We’re not taking them any differently than any other team.” While the Pride makes its third consecutive swing to the South, it also will battle 13th-ranked Baylor on Sunday marking its fourth game in three trips against a ranked opponent. The Pride dropped a pair of games to Tennessee and one game to Florida. The Pride lost to the Vols last weekend 5-2, despite holding a 2-1 lead early in the game against the fourth-ranked club. Senior shortstop Pam Dreslinski knocked a solo home run in the third to give the Pride the early advantage, giving her 12 RBIs for the season. Dreslinski would drive in her 13th run of the year later in the weekend tournament. “We can stay with any team. It just boosted our confidence even more,” Root said. Tennessee stormed back against the Pride when right fielder Tiffany Huff smashed a grand slam in the fifth inning off freshman pitcher Sara Michalowski to take a 5-2 lead, where it would remain. In the bottom half of the inning, the Pride tried to mount a comeback, but it turn out to go for naught as the Pride left the bases loaded. “We played tough, but we didn’t catch that break when we needed to,” Root said. Michalowski, who entered with a 1.06 ERA and a 1-0 record in five appearances, went the full seven innings, and just one of five runs counted as earned, as the Pride made a pair of errors. Michalowski struck out one and gave up five hits to move to 1-1 on the year. Moving to Saturday, the Pride lost to Georgia Tech 7-2 a week after besting the Yellow Jackets. Junior ace Kayleigh Lotti surrendered seven runs in six innings and fanned four. Hofstra mustered just three hits and couldn’t capitalize on four Georgia Tech errors. The seven earned Lotti surrendered to Georgia Tech were the most she’s allowed in her career. Hofstra’s hitting returned on Sunday when it downed UNC-Charlotte 6-1, thanks in large part to right fielder Melissa Hodge. The junior went 2-for-3 with three RBIs, including a two-run homer in the fifth inning. The Pride used different ways to score, including a double steal that brought in Carolann Lubach to open the scoring for Hofstra in the second inning. The Pride finished with six swiped bases on the afternoon. Michalowski notched her second win of her young Hofstra career with a six-inning, five-hit performance. Besides the exhibition game against the U.S. National team and the Baylor contest, the Pride will take on Michigan State and the University of Illinois-Chicago on Thursday, East Tennessee State on Friday and Coastal Carolina on Saturday. The Pride will play a game yet to be determined on Sunday. Hofstra enters the Leadoff Classic this weekend in Florida with a 7-5 record. After three straight trips to the south, the Pride returns home to Hempstead for a Long Island battle against Stony Brook on Saturday, March 15 at 10 a.m.