Eugene, Ore. – Hofstra Softball will head to the West Coast this weekend for the Oregon Duck Invitational for games against Pacific, No. 4 Oregon and Idaho State at Jane Sanders Field.
The Pride will begin the tournament against Pacific at 10 a.m. Pacific Standard Time on Friday before taking on the host Ducks at 3 p.m. Hofstra takes on Idaho State at 10 a.m. on Saturday followed by a second game against Pacific at 12:15 p.m. The Pride then closes the tournament with a second matchup with Oregon at 10 a.m. Sunday.
All games in the tournament will be available via live stats and live audio. Games in which Oregon is participating will also be streamed live. Links can be found on this page and the Hofstra Softball schedule page.
Hofstra (7-6) went 2-1 last weekend in a three-game series at Longwood, sweeping Saturday's doubleheader, 4-1 and 9-7, before falling, 2-0, in the lone game on Sunday. Junior
Brittany Allocca had a strong weekend at the plate, batting .444 with a double, a home run and five RBIs to earn Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Week honors. Classmate
Megan Patierno was 3-for-4 with a home run and four RBIs in Game 2. Senior pitcher
Jessica Peslak picked up her first win of the season in the 9-7 win. Freshman
Alyssa Irons recorded her first career save, relieving Peslak.
Pacific off to a 10-9 start, including a pair of shutouts over Cal State Fullerton, a team receiving votes. Tigers pitcher Marissa Young (3-0) has seen the most work with 42.1 innings pitched, posting a 1.49 ERA with 32 strikeouts. Sydney Lahners' five home runs lead the team, while her 15 RBIs are also tied for the lead.
No. 4 Oregon (19-0) comes into the weekend with a program record 19-game win streak, including eight shutouts and wins against ranked opponents Fresno State, Kentucky and Missouri. All three pitchers hold ERAs under 2.00, led by Megan Kleist's 0.95. Maggie Balint (9-0) has seen the most work with 47.2 innings pitched, with a 1.17 ERA and 73 strikeouts. Nikki Udria's five home runs and 27 RBIs lead the team, while Alexis Mack holds the team's best batting average at .509.
Idaho State heads to Oregon at 5-9. Ashlyn Ames leads the team's pitchers with 28 strikeouts and a 3.43 ERA in 34.2 innings pitched. At the plate, Ames also has a team-leading 15 RBIs and five doubles, while Kacie Burnett's .510 average is a team best.
The Pride will be closer to home next weekend, facing a group of local rivals in the St. John's Invitational.
