Tallahassee, FL - The Hofstra softball team kicked off the Unconquered Invitational on Friday afternoon and hung tough with Indiana and #3/3 Florida State at the Seminole Softball Complex.

Game 1: Hofstra 4, Indiana 8
 
Indiana took a quick 1-0 lead over Hofstra in the second-at bat of the game when Grayson Radcliffe homered to center field. The Hoosiers added another run in the second and two more in the third, extending the lead to 4-0 over the Pride.
 
Meghan Giordano put Hofstra on the board on the top of the fourth when she double to center field, scoring Kasey Collins who reached first on an infield single. Indiana increased the lead to 8-1 advantage by the end of the fifth inning, but Hofstra rallied in the sixth, cutting the deficit to just four runs. Chelsea Manto led off the frame with a base hit to second before advancing to second on a Collins sacrifice bunt. After Manto moved to third on a wild pitch and Sam Ward drew a walk, Giordano ripped her first home run of the season to right-center field, cutting the score to 8-4. Angelina Ioppolo kept the rally going with a bunt single, but a strikeout ended the rally. Hofstra went down in order in the top of the seventh, finalizing the score at 8-4.
 
Haley Venturini earned the start and tossed 4.0 innings, striking out five batters while allowing just one walk and two earned runs. Nikki Mullin pitched two innings in relief. Devyn Losco had a great game behind the plate as well as she caught two runners stealing.
 
Hofstra 0, #3/3 Florida State 3
 
Against arguably one of the toughest opponents in recent history, Hofstra stood tall from end to end against the third-ranked Florida State Seminoles in game two of Friday's doubleheader. Florida State took an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first with a two-out, two-run home run before Hofstra got out of the inning after two more runners reached base. The Seminoles added their third run in the third with a double to left field.
 
Gianna Iaquinto tallied Hofstra's lone hit of the game in the second when she roped a single through the ride side, putting runners on first and second with two outs. Iaquinto also made a highlight-reel diving catch in right field in the fourth inning.
 
Julia Apsel tossed a complete-game for Hofstra, allowing five hits while striking out two batters.
 
Up next:
Hofstra is back in action tomorrow, February 26 for two more games against Indiana and Florida State. First pitch against the Hoosiers is at 11 a.m. and the Florida State game will follow at approximately 3:30 p.m.