The Hofstra Pride softball team saw their seventeen-game winning streak come to an end on Saturday afternoon in Harrisonburg, Virginia, against James Madison University. Hofstra was swept by the Dukes in a doubleheader, 9-8 and 6-3.
With the losses, Hofstra also suffered their first two Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) losses of the season.
There were a total of twelve homeruns hit between the two teams.
In game one, Sarah Cornell and Payton Buresch started in the circle for their respective teams.
Hofstra roughed up the CAA leader in earned run average, Buresch. The rookie allowed six earned runs in 3.1 innings.
Cornell ended up allowing four runs in 1.2 innings of work.
Hofstra jumped out to an early lead in the top of the first when Courtney Scarpato doubled down the left field line with two outs to score Brielle Pietrafesa and Sarah Edwards.
Morgan Tolle lead off the bottom half of the inning with a solo shot to left center for the Dukes.
James Madison continued with the long balls in the bottom of the second, Natalie Cutright went deep to right center field. Later in the inning, Ashley Samuels hit a two-run shot to left field, extending the Dukes’ lead, 4-2.
In the top of the fourth, the score was knotted at four when Brittany Allocca sent one over the right field fence for a grand slam, regaining the lead for the Pride. She finished with five RBI in Game One.
The homerun barrage continued for James Madison in the bottom of the fifth. Cutright hit her second round-tripper of the game, a two-run shot to cut the Pride’s lead in half, 8-6.
Tolle hit her second home run in the bottom of the sixth – knotting the score at eight a piece.
Hofstra was sat down in order in the top half of the seventh.
Odicci Alexander stepped up to the plate for the Dukes in the bottom half of the inning and homered to center field, walking it off for James Madison, 9-8.
Odicci Alexander entered in relief for JMU and blanked the Pride for 3.2 innings.
Sophie Dandola came in to relieve Cornell. The freshman allowed five earned runs in 4.1 innings.
Game Two featured some more power hitting from both teams.
Cornell got the ball in the second half of the doubleheader for the Pride, opposing Alexander.
After the Pride scored in the top of the second, Jessica Mrozek evened the score at one for the Dukes with a solo homerun to left field.
In the top of the fourth, Scarpato hit a long ball out to left field, tying the score at two.
The Dukes jumped back out in front with a two-run shot by Cutright in the bottom half of the inning.
Hofstra battled back in the top of fifth when Edwards hit a game-tying, two-out RBI single up the middle, plating Kristin Hallam.
The decisive blow came off the bat of Kate Gordon, with one out in the bottom of the fifth, she hit a three-run homerun out to right center field, putting the Dukes up for good, 6-3.
Cornell lasted 4.1 innings allowing six runs and striking out one. Dandola did not allow a run in 1.2 relief innings.
Bursech came in to relieve Alexander and shut the door in the top of the seventh, retiring Nikki Michalowski with the bases loaded.
James Madison is now tied with Hofstra for first place in the CAA at 15-2. The final game of the series takes place on Sunday afternoon at Veterans Memorial Park. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.
