Baton Rouge, La. – Hofstra established a lead in the season opener before Central Arkansas mounted a comeback as the Pride fell, 3-2. Hofstra later lost in the nightcap, 3-0, to nationally ranked Louisiana State University in the first day of the LSU Invitational at Tiger Park on Friday.

Freshman designated player Brittany Allocca registered Hofstra's only RBI of the day when she drove in junior Caryn Bailey on a fourth-inning infield single that tied the score at 1 against Central Arkansas. The Pride took a 2-1 lead on a throwing error that scored sophomore Lacey Clark. The Bears scored the tying run in the fourth and the go-ahead run in the sixth.

Hofstra, which entered 2015 receiving votes in the NFCA national poll, dropped to 0-2 while Central Arkansas improved to 5-2 before taking on LSU tonight. In the second game, the Pride squared off against the 16th ranked Tigers, which scored two runs in the third and an insurance run in the fourth to support freshman pitcher Allie Walljasper's complete-game three-hitter.

Walljasper struck out five and did not walk a batter to improve to 2-0 while LSU stayed undefeated in moving to 6-0 on the season. Hofstra senior pitcher Taylor Pirone logged the Pride's first complete game of 2015 when she went six innings against LSU and allowed just four hits while striking out three. Pirone (0-1) walked two.

Central Arkansas opened the scoring in the first game. The Bears worked four walks against Hofstra senior starter Morgan Lashley (0-1). Ryan Holdiness drew a full-count walk to score Sarah Bigej.

That lead held up until the fourth when Bailey, who was starting her first career game in center field, led off with a single through the left side. Clark worked an eight-pitch walk. With two outs, Hofstra advanced both runners to scoring position on senior pitcher Kylee Studioso's wild pitch.

Allocca, who earned the Opening Day start, beat out an infield single to plate Bailey. Clark then scored the go-ahead run on catcher Jessie Taylor's throwing error.

Central Arkansas tied the score in the bottom of the inning on Ashley Boswell's leadoff home run. The Bears took the lead for good in the sixth on a two-out rally started by Amy Gunnells' double. Sophomore pitcher Jessica Peslak replaced Lashley, and Sam Forrest greeted her with a RBI single. Lashley was charged with the run to fall to 0-1.

Redshirt junior Danielle Bitts highlighted her first career start by lining a one-out single in the seventh to put the tying run on base. Bitts advanced to second on junior Chloe Fitzgerald's two-out walk, though Studioso (4-1) induced a ground out to preserve the complete-game victory.

Pirone held center fielder A.J. Andrews, one of just 50 Division I selections nationally to make the Player of the Year Watch List, to an 0-for-3 showing. But LSU rallied around other members of the lineup. Junior Bianka Bell hit a two-run home run in the third.

Hofstra will face the same two squads tomorrow, starting with a rematch against Central Arkansas at 1:30 p.m. and a game against LSU at 6:30 p.m.