Leesburg, FL – The 2022 Hofstra softball season began on Friday at THE Spring Games with the Pride falling to Bethune-Cookman and Butler in back-to-back games at the Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex.
 
Three Pride players recorded a multi-hit day including Chelsea Manto who went 5-for-7, while Olivia Malinowski and Kasey Collins recorded a pair of hits. Losco notched an extra base hit for Hofstra, a triple in game one of the twinbill.
 
Game 1: Bethune-Cookman 6, Hofstra 1
 
The Wildcats plated two runs in the top of the first inning with back-to-back singles, but Hofstra cut the deficit in half with one swing in the bottom of the third inning when Losco tripled to right field and scored on a throwing error by the right fielder.
 
Bethune-Cookman rallied in the fifth inning, registering three more runs on four hits, but Hofstra worked out of the jam as the Wildcats left three runners on base. A base hit added one more run in the seventh inning for the Wildcats, bringing final the score to 6-1.
 
Manto finished the game 3-for-4 while Kasey Collins, Olivia Malinowski, and Losco all had hits. Julia Apsel took the loss inside the circle after 4.2 innings of work and struck out three batters.
 
Game 2: Hofstra 0, Butler 5
 
Butler broke open the scoring in the bottom of the second inning with a two-RBI single and extended that lead to three with a fielder's choice. Hofstra battled back and put three runners on base with a single by Malinowski, walk by Kayla Wilson, and base hit by Manto, but a fly out halted the threat as the game moved to the bottom of the fifth. The Bulldogs plated two more insurance runs with a two-RBI double in the bottom of the sixth to finalize the score at 5-0.
 
Manto finished as Hofstra's top hitter for the second-straight game as she went 2-for-3 at the dish. Angelina Ioppolo also added one hit for Hofstra in the top of the seventh.
 
Haley Venturini got the start inside the circle and tossed 5.0 total innings, striking out five batters while allowing one walk.
 
Up next:
Hofstra continues action at THE Spring Games tomorrow, February 19 for a 4 p.m. meeting with the Liberty Flames.
 
Notes:
-Both starting pitchers for Hofstra today (Apsel and Venturini) made their first career starts inside the circle
-Hofstra struck out a combined nine batters
-Manto had one stolen base in game one 
-Losco caught one runner stealing after leading the Colonial Athletic Association in runners caught stealing last season