MOBILE, Ala. – The Hofstra University Softball team kicked off the 2019 Mardi Gras Classic hosted by the University of South Alabama on Friday morning, falling to the Nicholls State Colonels by a score of 11-1 at Jaguar Field.
 
Hofstra scatted four total hits by four different players, including junior Kristin Hallam, senior Lydia Witkowski, sophomore Devyn Losco and sophomore Imani Myint. Freshman Madison Burns tossed the first complete game of her career in the circle, allowing just three earned runs with one strikeout.
 
Burns was excellent early on as she retired her first six batters in order to get things started defensively. In the third inning, Nicholls State drew two walks and reached on two Pride errors to keep Burns' no-hitter going through 10 batters, but the Colonels finally broke it up with a single to left field which also extended the Nicholls State lead to 2-0. Nicholls State went on to add seven unearned runs in the top of the third as Hofstra trailed, 8-0.
 
Hofstra was able to get one run back in the bottom half of the inning, as Losco singled to left field on the second pitch of her at bat. After Losco reached third on a stolen base and throwing error, Hallam tallied her first RBI of the season with an infield single to first base. Witkowski added a bunt single to third base which advanced Hallam to second, but the Pride rally concluded with a fly out to left field.
 
After Nicholls State tacked on three more runs, Hofstra put together a small two-out rally in the bottom of the fifth and put runners on first and second with a Myint bunt single and Hallam walk, but another fly ball to left field ended things in the fifth.
 
With game two against Illinois being canceled due to rain, Hofstra will continue its trip to the Mardi Gras Invitational against Nicholls State again tomorrow (February 23) at 9 a.m. local time (10 a.m. EST). The Pride will then conclude its doubleheader against South Alabama at 1:30 p.m. local time (2:30 pm EST).