KENNESAW, Ga. – The offense came to life during game one, but the Pride's hot bats were stifled by great pitching during game two as the Hofstra University Softball team split a doubleheader series with Kennesaw State University on Friday, March 1 at Bailey Park.
 
Junior Kristin Hallam led the Pride with three hits in seven at-bats (.429), while sophomore Devyn Losco, and freshmen Meghan Giordano, Jaycee Ruberti, and Madison McKevitt collected a pair of hits on the day. Ruberti knocked home four runs during the opener and Losco collected the lone extra-base hit of the day, ripping a double during game one.
 
Game One: Hofstra 10, Kennesaw State 3
 
Hofstra saw its largest offensive output of the season with 10 runs against Kennesaw State while also tallying nine hits. Three Pride players scattered a pair of hits including Hallam, McKevitt and Ruberti. Hallam scored four runs for Hofstra while Ruberti tallied four RBI. Freshman Mackenzie Suto (2-3) pitched a complete game inside the circle, allowing two earned runs with one strikeout.
 
The Pride got on the board in the first inning after putting together a two-out rally which saw two walks to put Hallam and Giordano on base. McKevitt swung at the first pitch of her at bat and drove an RBI single through the right side to score Hallam. Kennesaw State answered with one run in the bottom half of the inning before a scoreless second frame.
 
After Hofstra put runners on first and second during the third inning, Ruberti took a 3-2 pitch to right field to score McKevitt from second base. In the next at bat, Losco ripped a double to left field to plate senior Lydia Witkowski before freshman Lyndsey Shaw capped off Hofstra's three-run inning with a sacrifice fly to right field.
 
Kennesaw State cut into the lead with one run in the bottom of the third, but Hofstra got another boost with a two-run inning in the top of the fourth as Ruberti singled through the right side which scored Hallam and senior Courtney Scarpato to give the Pride a 6-2 advantage. Hofstra added three more runs in the top of the sixth and one more in the final inning to take game one by a score of 10-3.
 
Game Two: Hofstra 0, Kennesaw State 2
 
Game two was dominated by pitching as freshman Madison Burns tossed a complete game, surrendering just two runs on four hits in six innings of work. Burns was outdueled, however, by Hailey Andrews who went the distance for the Owls, striking out eight batters for a four-hit shutout.
 
Kennesaw State jumped ahead early, plating two runs during the bottom of the first in what proved to be the difference in the contest. After the first two hitters reached base, the Owls singled through the middle of the diamond to bring home the game's first run and tallied another run on an RBI single to center field two batters later to take a 2-0 lead through one inning.
 
It was not until the top of the fifth inning that the Pride had a runner in scoring position, when Losco singled to right-center field to advance freshman Angelina Ioppolo to third base. Despite Losco stealing second base, the Owls worked out of the jam by inducing a foul out down the third-base line to end the inning. It was the final opportunity for Hofstra who was retired in order during its final two at-bats.
 
The Pride return to action tomorrow afternoon when they take on Georgia Tech in a two-game set beginning at 1:00 p.m.

NOTES:
-With four runs in game one, Hallam tied a Hofstra single-game record for runs scored in a single game. There is now an 11-way tie for first.
-Giordano tied a program for most walks in a single game (4). There is now a three-way tie for first.