HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – Following a shortened 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Hofstra University softball team is back and gearing up for its 2021 campaign. The Pride 's 36-game slate will begin with the Villanova Invitational this weekend, March 6-7 with a pair of doubleheaders.
 
Hofstra will face Syracuse (10 a.m.) and Villanova (3 p.m.) on Saturday before meeting Villanova twice on Sunday (12 p.m. and 2 p.m.). All four games will take place at Branch Brook Park in Newark, N.J.  Live stats and video are not available this weekend. For periodic updates, visit the @HofstraSoftball Twitter page.
 
The Pride, a team who was plagued by injuries in 2020, posted a record of 3-15 last season. Hofstra returns a balanced core of upperclassmen including the 2019 Colonial Athletic Association Defensive Player of the Year, Kristin Hallam, who missed last season due to injury. A lead-off hitter, Hallam is batting .350 for her career with hits, 125 runs scored, and 55 stolen bases which is tied for first in Hofstra program history.
 
Several other key upperclassmen return for the Pride including junior infielder Meghan Giordano who is hitting .342 entering her junior season with 58 career RBI and 11 home runs. Junior infielder Kasey Collins is also back for her junior campaign after recording a .339 batting average across her first two seasons. Several other players from last season are back who are expected to continue to make a big impact as well including graduate student Alexis Goeke, junior Jaycee Ruberti, junior Madison McKevitt, sophomore Lindsey Hay.
 
Inside the circle, junior Madison Burns returns as Hofstra's veteran pitcher. She has tossed 222.0 innings inside the circle during her two-year career so far and has 113 strikeouts and 14 wins under her belt. Sophomore Nikki Mullin is back for the Pride as well after tossing nearly 40.0 innings during Hofstra's shortened season. The Pride also welcomes two new pitchers that will give Hofstra some depth including freshman transfer Isabella Pisapia and freshman Marisa Ogden.
 
Syracuse (4-3) enters the weekend with seven games behind them already. Toni Martin leads the Orange with a .316 batting average while Kaia Oliver and Alexa Romero have split a bulk of time inside the circle, both owning ERA's near 2.50. Villanova's season has also begun and the Wildcats are 0-5 so far, and Angela Giampolo leads the team with a .333 batting average. With a team-high 14.1 innings pitched, Sara Kennedy has a 4.88 ERA.
 
This weekend's games are closed to the public. No tickets will be sold.