HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – The Hofstra University softball team suffered two losses to the Elon Phoenix on Friday afternoon at Bill Edwards Stadium. Hofstra dropped to 20-27 overall and 7-13 in the Colonial Athletic Association while Elon improved to 31-18-1.
 
Senior Lydia Witkowski and sophomore Devyn Losco both went 3-for-6 at the plate, while Losco recorded one run scored while driving in another. Freshman Jaycee Ruberti tallied a pair of hits, while freshman Kasey Collins, junior Kristin Hallam and senior Courtney Scarpato had one RBI.
 
Game 1: Elon 4, Hofstra 3
 
Hofstra jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning, as Hallam slapped a lead-off single to center field. Hallam went on to steal second and third on back-to-back pitches, easily scoring on a fielder's choice by Collins. Two batters later, Scarpato plated Collins on a sacrifice fly which extended the Hofstra lead to two.
 
Freshman Madison Burns pitched a dominant second inning, using just eight pitches for a 1-2-3 inning, but Elon managed to cut the deficit in half with a two-out RBI single. Hofstra stranded two runners on base in the bottom of the third, but extended the lead to two runs in the fourth frame as Losco roped an RBI double to center field to score Ruberti.
 
Both teams were retired in order in the top of the fifth, but Elon continued to chip away in the sixth, adding one more run to close the gap, 3-2 in favor of Hofstra. However, the table turned in the top of the seventh when the Phoenix led off the inning with three-straight hits including back-to-back doubles to take a 4-3 lead over the Pride. Burns pitched three-straight outs to get herself out of the jam, also stranding one Elon runner on base.
 
Burns (13-13) took the loss inside the circle, tossing 7.0 innings while striking out three. Abby Barker (17-6) got the win for the Phoenix.
 
Game 2: Elon 7, Hofstra 1
 
Freshman Mackenzie Suto got the start in the circle for game two, and pitched a commanding first inning, retiring the side in order with two strikeouts. Hofstra wouldn't get any runs in the first either, but Elon took control in the second with four runs on just two hits. Elon added another run on a solo shot by Megan White, extending the Phoenix lead to five.
 
Hofstra loaded up the bases with two outs in the bottom of the third when Losco and Witkowski hit two-straight singles before Collins walked, however a ground out left three runners stranded as Elon continued to hold on to the lead.
 
Hofstra forced two outs in the top of the fourth before putting two runners on with back-to-back walks, but a rain delay halted play, lasting one hour and 25 minutes. Once play resumed, a fielding error added two additional runs for the Phoenix who opened up the advantage to seven runs.
 
It wasn't until their final chances when Hofstra broke the shutout, as Hallam knocked home Devyn Losco with a one-out sacrifice fly.
 
Suto suffered the defeat in the circle for Hofstra, pitching 6.0 total innings while allowing just three earned runs and striking out six.
 
Up Next:
Hofstra will close out the regular season tomorrow, May 4, against the Elon Phoenix at Bill Edwards Stadium at 1 p.m. Prior to the game, Hofstra will have two special presentations, including the 2018 CAA Championship Ring ceremony and the Senior Day ceremony, where the Hofstra softball program will honor Courtney Scarpato and Lydia Witkowski.
 
Notes:
-Hofstra is now 10-4 against Elon in the all-time series
-Hofstra went 5-for-5 on stolen bases for the day
-Hofstra is currently tied for first with 77 stolen bases in a single season. The Pride need just one more to set a program record.
-Kristin Hallam needs one more stolen base to set a new career stolen base mark
-Madison Burns did not walk a batter out of her 30 batters faced