Clearwater, Fla. – After facing a 7-1 deficit, Hofstra Softball mounted a comeback against Wisconsin, but fell just short, with the Badgers taking a 7-5 win Sunday morning in the final day of the Michele Smith National Pediatric Cancer Foundation Invitational. The Pride finished the tournament 2-3.

Junior Brielle Pietrafesa went 3-for-4 with a double and three runs batted in for the Pride. Wisconsin was propelled by two home runs from Brooke Wyderski.

The Badgers (8-2) took the lead in the first inning, with Kelsey Jenkins hitting a lead-off double before Chloe Miller's single brought Jenkins home for the first run. With two on, Wyderski hit a three-run home run to take a 4-0 advantage out of the first inning.

The Pride pulled a run back in the top of the third, with freshman Kristin Hallam and juniors Pietrafesa and Brittany Allocca singling to cut the deficit to 4-1.

Freshman pitcher Alyssa Irons relieved senior Jessica Peslak in the third inning. Wyderski's second homer of the day, a two-run shot, pushed the Badgers' lead to 6-1. Miller added another RBI single in the fourth.

The Pride began its comeback in the top of the sixth. Junior Kaitlyne Musa reached on an error, before senior Christie Sinacori came in to pinch hit and singled. Hallam slugged another single to load the bases, and a double from Pietrafesa brought three runs home to make it 7-4.

Junior Megan Patierno and senior Lacey Clark singled in the top of the seventh, and Musa was hit by a pitch to load the bases once again. Freshman Sam Tomasetti was tagged out at first for the second out, but a run came home to bring Hofstra within two. But the Badgers got the third out to dash the Pride's comeback hopes.

Hofstra heads back to Florida next weekend for a tournament at Florida Gulf Coast. The Pride opens the weekend against Rutgers at 3:45 p.m. on Friday.