Vestal, N.Y. – Hofstra Softball pulled off a 7-6 comeback win in Game 1 before routing Binghamton, 9-0, in a doubleheader sweep at Bearcats Sports Complex on Tuesday afternoon. The pair of victories extends the Pride's win streak to nine games.
 
Freshman Kristin Hallam had a stellar day at the plate, going 5-for-6 with two doubles, four RBIs and two runs. Junior Nikki Michalowski also added four RBIs with the help of a three-run home run. Sophomore Courtney Scarpato was 3-for-5, and 10 Hofstra batters recorded at least one hit on the day.
 
Freshman pitcher Alyssa Irons picked up both wins in the circle, starting Game 2 and pitching her first career complete-game shutout.
 
GAME 1
 
Facing a 4-1 deficit in Game 1, the Pride (23-17, 9-4 Colonial Athletic Association) rallied in the top of the seventh, putting up using seven hits, including six straight, to score six runs.
 
Freshman Sam Tomasetti laid down a pinch-hit bunt single to lead off the seventh before Scarpato singled into shallow right field. Hallam's deep double brought home Tomasetti and Scarpato, and junior Brielle Pietrafesa sent a two-run blast to left-center to give Hofstra the 5-4 lead. Pietrafesa's home run was her sixth of the season. Junior Brittany Allocca kept it going, doubling and advancing to third on an error by the catcher, still with no outs. Michalowski followed up with a double of her own to plate Allocca. After the Bearcats finally managed to get two outs, junior Sarah Edwards sent a single up the middle to bring Michalowski home for the sixth run of the inning.
 
The Bearcats (18-21, 8-2 America East) then attempted their own rally in the bottom of the seventh, scoring a pair of runs and sending the tying run home with no outs, but junior Kaitlyne Musa made the play at the plate to preserve the Pride lead and get the first out.
 
Binghamton was first to get on the board in Game 1, using a three-run homer from Jessica Rutherford in the bottom of the third to take a 3-0 lead. The Pride scored its first run with two outs in the top of the fourth, with senior Lacey Clark singling down the right-field line. Junior Megan Patierno then smacked a double and Clark came racing home.
 
Crysti Eichner led off the bottom of the fourth with a triple for the Bearcats, but the Pride kept them from capitalizing with a pop-up, ground-out and fly-out to get out of the inning.
 
With one out in the top of the fifth, Scarpato walked before Hallam slapped a hit into the shallow infield and beat out the throw for runners on first and second. But a pair of quick outs kept Hofstra from scoring.
 
Binghamton tacked on another run in the bottom of the fifth with Rutherford coming home on a bunt single from Bridget Hunt.
 
After taking over for Cornell with one out in the fifth, freshman pitcher Alyssa Irons pitched a clean sixth inning, including taking down the first two batters with strikeouts.
 
GAME 2
 
Hofstra took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second in Game 2, with a Patierno RBI double bringing Michalowski home.
Hallam pushed the Pride lead to 3-0 in the top of the fifth with a two-run double out to the left-field wall, scoring Edwards, who had walked, and Scarpato who had singled into right field.
 
After allowing runners at second and third with no outs in the bottom of the fifth, Irons took the next two Bearcats down with strikeouts before a ground-out to Clark at second for the final out with no runs scored.
 
The Pride tacked on another run in the top of the sixth. Allocca and Michalowski walked before Clark hit into a fielder's choice that got Allocca out at third. Another walk, this time to Patierno, loaded the bases, and Edwards hit a sacrifice fly into left field to bring Michalowski home for a 4-0 Hofstra advantage.
 
Michalowski helped the Pride have another big seventh inning, hitting a three-run homer over the center-field fence. Scarpato, Hallam and Pietrafesa all walked to load the bases, before a double play at the plate and first kept two runners on for Hofstra. Clark followed up Michalowski's homer with a double to right-center, and Patierno walked. Freshman Alexis Goeke pinch-hit, getting hit with a pitch to once again load the bases. Musa then singled and advanced on an error in left field to bring in two more runs and make it 9-0 in favor of Hofstra.
 
Irons then pitched a clean bottom of the seventh to seal the win.
 
Hofstra returns to conference play this weekend, heading to Charleston for a three-game series on Saturday and Sunday.