Third baseman Tonya Callahan hit for the cycle and had three RBI to lead the fourth-ranked Tennessee Softball team over Hofstra 6-1 on Saturday evening at the USF/Best Western Invitational.

With the loss, the Pride starts out 1-1 on opening day after defeating Florida A&M 4-0 in its first game of the Best Western Invitational. Tennessee improves to 7-0 with the win.

Sophomore left fielder Kris Root (Waynesboro, PA/Greencastle-Antrim - pictured) batted 2-for-2 and had a stolen base for Hofstra.

Tennessee pushed an unearned run across in the first inning off of Hofstra starter Kayleigh Lotti (South Attleboro, MA/St. Raphael's Academy), which was set up by a Callahan single with one out. The Lady Vols then took advantage of some control problems from Lotti in the second, as she walked two batters with two outs, and Callahan followed with a two-run triple to make the score 3-0.

Hofstra went to the bullpen to start the third inning to freshman pitcher Sara Michalowski (Philadelphia, PA/Archibshop Ryan), who yielded a two-run double to second baseman Nicole Kajitani. Callahan then led off the fourth inning with a solo homer to make the score 6-0.

Hofstra scored its run in the top of the fifth inning as freshman third baseman Trisha Dreslinski (Kingsville, OH/Edgewood) reached on a fielder's choice after a Michalowski single. Root followed with her second single of the day with two outs, and junior second baseman Casey Fee (Long Beach, NY/Long Beach) drove home Dreslinski with an infield single. Junior center fielder Erika Bernstein (Somerville, NJ/Somerville) followed with a bunt single, but Root was thrown out trying to score from second on the play to end the inning.

Callahan capped off the cycle with a double to lead off the bottom of the sixth inning off of junior reliever Joanna Kralowetz (Mt. Airy, MD/Linganore), but was caught trying to move to third on a groundout.

Michalowski threw three innings of relief in her pitching debut, allowing four hits and one earned run. Lotti allowed four hits and two earned runs in two innings, but walked five batters, while Kralowetz allowed just the one hit to Callahan in her inning of work. All-America candidate Megan Rhodes earned the win for Tennessee, allowing one run on six hits, while striking out seven and walking none.

Hofstra will next be in action when it takes on Florida Gulf Coast on Sunday at 6 p.m. on the second day of the Best Western Invitational.