HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – The Hofstra University softball team rallied late, but came up short in the series finale against the No. 20/18 James Madison University Dukes by a 10-5 final at Bill Edwards Stadium on Sunday, April 7.
 
Four different batters recorded a hit on the day for the Pride, as senior Courtney Scarpato led the way with two hits. Junior Alexis Goeke, freshmen Kasey Collins and Jaycee Ruberti each recorded one hit. Ruberti led the Pride with two runs batted in, while Scarpato tallied the only extra-base hit of the day.
 
James Madison led off the game with a walk before freshman pitcher Madison Burns retired the next two batters. The Dukes rallied with three two-out singles, however, to take a 3-0 lead after the first half inning. Despite loading the bases with one out during the bottom half of the frame, Hofstra was unable to plate any runs.
 
Following another leadoff walk and a one-out single, James Madison's Megan Good lifted a three-run home run to the opposite field to give James Madison a 6-0 advantage through two innings. Burns settled in from there, retiring the next eight batters she faced to keep the deficit at six runs. The Dukes broke the streak of retired batters with a two-out triple off the left-center field fence, but the freshman stranded the runner at third base after inducing a groundout to end the fourth inning.
 
The Dukes tacked on one more run via a solo home run by Hannah File during the top of the sixth to take a 7-0 lead, but Hofstra rallied during the bottom of the inning to make things interesting. Following a leadoff walk and a James Madison fielding error, Scarpato doubled down the left-field line to score the Pride's first run of the day. With two outs, Ruberti singled through the right side of the infield to score two more runs and Goeke singled up the middle to make it 7-5 after six innings.  
 
Hofstra's rally was quickly answered by the Dukes during the top of the seventh as Logan Newton clubbed a three-run home run to straightaway center field to put James Madison ahead by the 10-5 final score.
 
The Pride return to the diamond on Thursday, April 11 for the first contest of a five-game road trip when they take on Seton Hall University in non-conference play at 4:00 p.m.
 
NOTES:
-Hofstra now trails the all-time series, 40-25
-Jaycee Ruberti recorded her seventh multiple hit and fourth multiple RBI game of the season
-Courtney Scarpato had her ninth multiple hit game of the season