LYNCHBURG, VA – The Hofstra Pride was unable to earn their first win of the Liberty Spring Classic as the softball team fell to the University of Pennsylvania Quakers on Saturday, Feb. 29, by a score of 6-1.

The Quakers did work in the third inning, bringing in three runs on four hits. All three runs were unearned, as Sarah Schneider reached first base on a fielding error in the second at-bat of the inning. Emma Nedley, Jennifer Brann and Laurel McKelvey all batted in runs in the inning as Corrie Phillips, Schneider and Brann reached home for the Quakers to give them a 4-0 advantage. 

The Pride’s lone run came in the fourth inning, when Jaycee Ruberti walked and then advanced to third with a single from Alexis Goeke. Angelina Ioppolo grounded out but picked up an RBI when Ruberti scored, but the run only cut the Pride’s deficit to five.

Goeke was the Pride’s top performer, earning a season-high of three hits against the Quakers. Ioppolo and Jordan Pietrzykoski had one hit each, and Ioppolo scored the team’s only RBI.

The Quakers had an early advantage as they scored the game’s first run in the second inning when Sarah Ketring grounded out on a full count, sending Brann home from third base. The Quakers had a chance to expand their lead in the same inning as Tabitha Dyer reached third right behind Brann. However, Kayla Ketring followed her twin sister’s lead and grounded out to end the frame. 

Madison Burns and Mackenzie Suto split pitching duties for Hofstra. Burns gave up seven hits and four runs in the game’s first three innings before Suto was subbed in. Suto held her own in her first game pitching for multiple innings this season, allowing just one hit in the final four innings and striking out three batters.

The Pride closed out the Liberty Spring Classic winless and the team’s record this season sits at 2-11. The Pride will next participate in the Mason Invitational in Fairfax, VA, starting with a match against Canisius College on Friday, March 6.

Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics