WILMINGTON, N.C. – The Hofstra softball team earned a dominant 12-4 win against UNCW in game one, but dropped the nightcap, 6-1, to the Seahawks for an even Colonial Athletic Association split at Boseman Field on Saturday afternoon. Hofstra is now 20-24 overall and 7-10 in the CAA while UNCW is 25-25 and also 7-10 in the league.
 
Three Pride players went 4-for-8 at the plate, including senior Courtney Scarpato, freshman Kasey Collins and freshman Meghan Giordano. In addition to their hit totals, Scarpato and Giordano knocked in three runs, followed by Kristin Hallam, who finished her day at the plate 3-for-7 while driving in five runs, all of which occurred in game one, while also scoring a team-high three runs. In addition, Hallam added three stolen bases to her single-season record total. Senior Lydia Witkowski tallied three total hits for the Pride while scoring two runs, and freshman Jaycee Ruberti also scored twice.
 
Game 1: Hofstra 12, UNCW 4
Hofstra brought out the bats in game one of Saturday's doubleheader with 12 runs on 16 hits, the second-most on the season in both categories. Hofstra's 16 hits were the most since March 17 against Wagner and 12 runs were the most since March 9 against Iona. Hallam was the top offensive player in the opening contest, going 3-for-5 with five RBI and two runs, while Collins was 3-for-4 while crossing the plate twice. Scarpato added three RBI for the Pride as well.
 
UNCW put two runs on the scoreboard in its first at bats with a two-run, one-out double, but freshman Madison Burns was able to quickly end the frame with two quick ground outs. In the top of the third, Scarpato leveled the score with a two-RBI single up the middle, before junior Alexis Goeke lifted her fourth home run of the season over the left field wall to increase the score to 4-2, Hofstra.   
 
The Pride built on to that lead in the top of the fourth, adding three more runs on three hits, highlighted by a base hit by Hallam which scored Ruberti and catcher Devyn Losco. Giordano hit an infield single to extend the Hofstra lead to 7-2.
 
The momentum continued into the fifth, when Hofstra opened up to its largest advantage of the contest. Hallam slapped a one-hopper to the left field wall, which cleared the bases and stretched the advantage to 10-2. UNCW was able to manage two runs in the bottom half of the frame, but Hofstra did more damage in the top of the seventh with back-to-back RBI singles by Giordano and Scarpato which capped the final score at 12-4.
 
Burns pitched a complete-game and improved to 13-11 in the circle, wihle Haley Lenderman (9-13) suffered the loss for UNCW.  
 
Game 2: UNCW 6, Hofstra 1
The Seahawks scored the first five runs of the contest, including three in the first inning and two more in the third and fourth frames. Hofstra was able to get runners on base during the period with four hits, however all were left on base.
 
Giordano punched in one run in the top of the fifth with a single up the middle, scoring Hallam who was hit by a pitch before advancing to second with a stolen base. UNCW scored once more, and the Pride managed to muster up just two hits during the last two frames, one by Ruberti and one by Giordano.
 
Freshman Mackenzie Suto suffered the loss after pitching 3.0 innings and giving up four runs, dropping to 6-12 on the year. Laurel Koontz pitched a complete-game for the Seahawks and improved her record to 6-0.
 
Up Next:
The deciding game between UNCW is set to take place tomorrow, April 28 at 12 p.m. at Boseman Field.
 
Notes:
-Hofstra is now 42-5 all-time against UNCW and extended its win streak over the Seahawks to seven games after game one of today's doubleheader
-With three RBI today, Giordano now has 52 runs batted in on the season which is now tied for fifth in a single season at Hofstra with Caryn Bailey (2015). She also became just the seventh Pride player in program history to record at least 50 RBI in a season.
-Hallam increased her single-season stolen base record to 31. She also has 52 career swipes which is second on the career list at Hofstra. She needs three more to set a career stolen bases record.
-As a team, Hofstra has 71 stolen bases on the season which is second-all time in a single season at Hofstra and the most since 2006. The Pride needs six more to break a single-season stolen base record.