Hempstead, N.Y. – Hofstra will make its second trek to Florida in as many weeks when the Pride takes on four opponents in five games in the Florida Gulf Coast University/Four Points Softball Invitational Friday-Sunday from the FGCU Softball Complex.

A 3-2 showing in the FAU Kick-Off Classic will propel Hofstra into Friday with a three-game winning streak. The Pride will face Saint Louis at 3:45 p.m. on Friday before playing host FGCU immediately after at 6 p.m. Hofstra will then face Marshall on Saturday at 10 a.m. and rematch Saint Louis at 2:30 p.m. Head Coach Larissa Anderson's team will conclude the tournament Sunday versus Southern Illinois at 11:15 a.m. All games will feature live statistics that can be accessed via the tournament landing page.

Senior third baseman Kim Smith hit safely in all five games while sophomore catcher Brittany Allocca has transitioned from first base to the backstop by hitting .467 with two home runs and seven RBIs through the first five games. Senior outfielder Caryn Bailey, who posted a career-best season as a junior, continued to be a run producer by notching four RBIs to start the new campaign.

Freshmen pitchers Madison Grimm and Courtney Scarpato made their debuts with the former registering her first career win in a six-inning effort against SIUE. Scarpato recorded her first career save in Sunday's win over Tulsa. She helped junior Jessica Peslak earn the victory after the right-hander threw six shutout innings. Peslak went 2-1on the week, marking her first two career wins. She struck out eight in 18 innings and pitched to a 1.94 ERA.

Hofstra will play Saint Louis for the first time in program history. The Billikens are 3-2 after starting the season in the UNI-Dome Classic. Outfielder Mackenzie Peter won the Atlantic 10's Player of the Week after hitting .389 batting average (7-for-18) with three doubles, four RBIs, four runs, a walk and a stolen base. She hit safely in four of SLU's five games, including three consecutive two-hit efforts, and struck out just twice in 19 plate appearances. Sophomore pitcher Maddie Baalman was named the league's Pitcher of the Week after recording a 2-1 record, a 2.86 ERA and 11 strikeouts. She allowed no earned runs and six hits while chalking up a career-high six strikeouts in a complete-game, 7-2 victory over Northern Iowa on opening day. Baalman added a win over South Dakota State the following day.

FGCU, the host schools, has lost two of the three all-time meetings against Hofstra. The Pride won the last matchup against FGCU with a 6-2 victory in 2014. The Eagles are looking to bounce back from a 1-4 start and will look for Louie Ross to sustain her hot start after she hit .467. Kelsey Huff was the only FGCU player to score multiple runs in the first season's first tournament, scoring two runs while hitting .333 in appearing in five games with four starts.

Hofstra has never lost to Marshall, carrying a 3-0 record into the weekend. The game will be the first time the teams have met since 2009. The Thunder Herd has played just two games and won both, besting Alabama State and Troy on Feb. 14. Four players earned preseason honors from Conference USA, giving 17th-year Head Coach Shonda Stanton a balanced lineup. Senior outfielder Kaelynn Greene, junior outfielder Morgan Zerkle, junior pitcher Jordan Dixon and sophomore infielder Elicia D'Orazio were all selected to the all-conference preseason team. Zerkle, Greene and D'Orazio combined for 216 hits and 127 runs in 2015. Dixon was the first pitcher in the country in 2015 to reach 30 wins for the season. 

Southern Illinois went 3-2 in the season-opening Lion Classic. Freshman pitcher Brianna Jones was named Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week, the league announced Monday. Jones threw two complete-game shutouts on opening weekend and did not allow an earned run in 14.0 innings. Hofstra is 2-2 in the all-time series. The teams met 2004 NCAA Tournament, when the Pride won the first game, 1-0, in 12 innings before eliminating the Saluki with a 3-1 win.