The wins kept coming for the Hofstra softball team as the Pride took down the visiting Blackbirds of LIU Brooklyn on Wednesday, March 20, by a score of 4-3. This win brings the Pride’s current streak up to six and boosts their record above .500 as they now sit at 12-11.
Three of the Pride’s four runs came in the bottom of the second inning. They scored the game’s first run when Kristin Hallam batted in Devyn Losco, while a single to right field from Courtney Scarpato brought home both Hallam and Madison McKevitt. This stellar three-runs-off-five-hits performance set Hofstra up for the eventual victory. Their fourth and final run came in the fourth inning, as a fielding error from LIU Brooklyn allowed Imani Myint to score after batting a triple. The run gave Hallam her second RBI of the match.
For the Blackbirds, their effort to come back from a 3-0 deficit began in the third inning with a double from Schae Dickson to bring in Camryn Lyman. They were unable to close the gap any further in that inning, however, and the lead was extended back to three in the fourth frame. LIU Brooklyn’s biggest push came in the top of the fifth, where Lyman earned her second run of the contest and Schae her first, bringing the Blackbirds within one. The pitchers would take over after those two runs, though, as both teams were held scoreless for the remainder of the game.
Hofstra struck early in the contest as they gained an early lead and never looked back. The Blackbirds would not lead or even tie the game up for its duration. Runs for the Pride were scored by Hallam, Losco, McKevitt and Myint. Hallam also garnered two RBIs, which tied her with teammate Scarpato to lead the game in that statistic.
Five players for the Pride earned two hits each in the match in Hallam, Scarpato, Losco, McKevitt and Kasey Collins. Myint’s one hit brought Hofstra’s total to 11 – more than double the five earned by LIU Brooklyn.
At the pitcher’s mound for the Pride, Mackenzie Suto pitched 4.1 innings, allowing only three hits and mounting two strikeouts against 16 batters. She allowed three runs, though, and was relieved by fellow freshman Madison Burns who struck out two batters and allowed only two hits through nine at-bats in the final 2.2 innings.
This home-opener victory comes just before the team begins conference play in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA), where they will bring their winning streak to Charleston, South Carolina.
They’ll face off against the Cougars twice on Saturday, March 23, and once on March 24.
