SB: Hofstra To Play Five Games In Unconquered Invitational

Hempstead, N.Y. – Hofstra will travel to the state of Florida for a third consecutive week when the Pride plays five games in the Unconquered Invitational hosted at Florida State's JoAnne Graf Field.

The Pride is off to a 6-4 start and will continue play on Friday versus UAB at 2:30 p.m. before taking on host school and 13th-ranked Florida State at 5 p.m. The Pride will then face Bradley on Saturday at noon before taking on two to-be-determined opponents on Saturday evening and Sunday, respectively.

Live statistics will be available and Hofstra's game against the Seminoles will feature live audio. The Pride will be playing a ranked opponent for the first time this season.

Senior third baseman Kim Smith has helped Hofstra slug .451 and drill 10 home runs through the team's first 10 games. Smith is one of three Hofstra players who already has hit multiple home runs, tying sophomore catcher Brittany Allocca for second-most on the team with a pair of home runs. Smith has a squad-leading nine RBIs. Sophomore outfielder Brielle Pietrafesa leads the team with three home runs. Junior shortstop Michaela Transue is averaging a run-per-game in crossing the plate 10 times.

Through Feb. 23, Hofstra is one of just two teams in Division I to post a no-hitter and hit a grand slam in the same game. Junior second baseman Lacey Clark's first-inning grand slam helped support a combined five-inning no-hitter by two freshmen. Madison Grimm went three innings and Courtney Scarpato pitched the final two in a 10-2 win over Saint Louis. Grimm walked 11 in three innings but still qualified for the win. It was Hofstra's first no-hitter thrown this season.

Grimm and junior pitcher Jessica Peslak are tied for the team lead in wins with three. Scarpato has pitched to a 0.75 ERA by posting two saves in seven relief outings.

Hofstra will play UAB for the first time in program history to start the tournament. The Blazers are off to a 3-8 start to the season. UAB has lost three of the last four games in playing a challenging schedule. All of those defeats came against top-20 opponents, including a 10-0 loss to Georgia in the team's last game in which Chelsea Wilkinson threw a five-inning perfect game. But UAB has seen some players off to good starts, led by JoJo Fallen's team-leading .433 average. Sara Beth Williamson is the only Blazer to hit multiple home runs, drilling two for six RBIs in 11 games.

Hofstra will be playing in a Florida State-hosted tournament for the first time since the team went 1-4 in the 2013 FSU Invitational. The Seminoles will be the first ranked team Hofstra faces all season. The Pride is 2-14 in the all-time series. Hofstra's last victory came in 2011 when the Pride bested then-No. 23 FSU. The Seminoles have won the last three in the series including a victory in last year's FAU tournament.

FSU is 7-3. The ACC preseason favorite is led in the circle by junior pitcher Jessica Burroughs, who was selected to the USA Softball National Player of the Year preseason watch list. Burroughs is 4-2 with a 2.66 ERA this season and Meghan King is 3-1 with a 2.53 ERA.

Hofstra will play five games in the tournament, though only three opponents are known as the late Saturday matchup and Sunday's finale will be based on the results through the first three games. The Pride will oppose Bradley on Saturday at noon. The Braves are 3-7, though Kelly Kapp has tried to ignite the offense by hitting .611 and scoring 12 runs in 10 games. Kendall Duffy is hitting .421 as is the first Bradley player to crack double-digits in RBIs this season, driving in 10 and slugging .684. Hofstra has never played Bradley.

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Players Mentioned

#21 Brittany Allocca: C/INF; 5' 6"; Sophomore; R/R

#5 Lacey Clark: INF; 5' 10"; Junior; R/R

#28 Jessica Peslak: P; 5' 10"; Junior; R/R

#14 Brielle Pietrafesa: OF; 5' 2"; Sophomore; R/R

#3 Kim Smith: INF; 5' 4"; Senior; R/R

#17 Michaela Transue: INF; 5' 6"; Junior; R/R

#1 Madison Grimm: P/INF; 6' 0"; Freshman; R/R

#16 Courtney Scarpato: P/INF/OF; 5' 3"; Freshman; S/R

Players Mentioned

#21 Brittany Allocca
: 5' 6"; Sophomore; R/R
: C/INF

#5 Lacey Clark
: 5' 10"; Junior; R/R
: INF

#28 Jessica Peslak
: 5' 10"; Junior; R/R
: P

#14 Brielle Pietrafesa
: 5' 2"; Sophomore; R/R
: OF

#3 Kim Smith
: 5' 4"; Senior; R/R
: INF

#17 Michaela Transue
: 5' 6"; Junior; R/R
: INF

#1 Madison Grimm
: 6' 0"; Freshman; R/R
: P/INF

#16 Courtney Scarpato
: 5' 3"; Freshman; S/R
: P/INF/OF