PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – The Hofstra University Softball Team settled for a split with the Drexel Dragons on Saturday afternoon in a doubleheader at the Drexel Softball Field. Hofstra dropped the first game by a score of 8-7 before bouncing back for a 4-3 win in game two. Despite the split, Hofstra won the series against the Dragons, 2-1.
 
Senior centerfielder Courtney Scarpato led the Pride at the plate, as she tallied three hits on the day with one double. Five Hofstra players recorded a two hits with sophomore Devyn Losco and freshman Angelina Ioppolo adding two doubles each, while junior Alexis Goeke knocked a double and two-run home run. Goeke and freshman Meghan Giordano each drove in three runs for the Pride.
 
Game 1: Drexel 8, Hofstra 7
 
Hofstra saw itself almost exactly where it was yesterday, down by a score of 5-0 after the Dragons plated five runs in the second inning. Freshman Kasey Collins scored a run for Hofstra on an error after hitting a two-out single up the middle to chip into the Drexel lead, but Drexel was quickly escape the inning in Hofstra's next at bat.
 
The Pride stormed back into the game in dominant fashion, plating six runs on four hits, while taking advantage of two Dragon errors to take a 7-5 lead midway through the fifth. During the spurt, Hofstra rattled off four-straight RBI doubles, as Giordano, Ioppolo, Losco and Goeke all went for extra bases to give Hofstra a one-run lead. The Pride scored one more unearned run to gain a two-run advantage with two innings to play.
 
Hofstra put three runners on base in the sixth and seven innings, but Drexel hit an RBI single to get within one before scoring two unearned runs to walk off on the Pride, 8-7.
 
Freshman Mackenzie Suto (6-9) suffered the loss in the circle, pitching 4.0 total innings, allowing just two hits and one earned run while striking out two. Meghan Conroy (2-2) earned the win for the Dragons, not allowing a run during her 2.1 innings of relief pitching.
 
Game 2: Hofstra 4, Drexel 3
 
Hofstra struck in the first inning as Collins scored an unearned run, however the Dragons responded with a home run by Linda Rush to level the game at one. After a one-out Losco walk, Goeke launched her second home run in as many days to center field, as Hofstra re-gained the lead, 3-1. Drexel made it a 3-2 game in the bottom of the third with a sacrifice fly, but Collins drew a bases loaded walk to take back a two-run lead.
 
Drexel continued chipping into the lead, scoring another run on a ground out to third base, but after a walk, Hofstra got out of the inning with a fielder's choice, stranding two Dragons on base in the bottom of the fourth. The remainder of the game was a defensive battle, as Hofstra went hitless during the final three innings while Drexel managed only two hits in their final three at bats.
 
Freshman Madison Burns (11-10) pitched another complete-game allowing five hits on three earned runs while striking out three. Brooklyn Daly (14-4) suffered the loss in the circle, allowing four runs in her 3.1 innings pitched.  
 
Up Next:
Hofstra will play a mid-week non-conference game at Fordham on Wednesday, April 17. First pitch against the Rams at the Bahoshy Softball Complex in the Bronx is set for 3 p.m.
 
Notes:
-Hofstra pounded out a seson-high seven doubles in game one, besting their previous high of four. The Pride's seven doubles tied a program record for doubles in a single game. The last time the Pride hit seven doubles was against Towson on May 14, 2004.
-Hallam is three stolen bases away from tying a single-season stolen base record at Hofstra. She currently has 22 stolen bases on the season.
-Hofstra now leads the all-time series between Drexel, 71-12