Hempstead, NY – Madison McKevitt hit a go-ahead, two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning, helping the Hofstra softball team to a 4-1 non-conference win over Villanova on a beautiful Thursday afternoon from Bill Edwards Stadium. With the win, Hofstra improves to 15-22 overall, and Villanova slips to 22-18.
 
The Wildcats got on the scoreboard in the second inning with a sacrifice fly to the outfield, making it 1-0 to the visitors. Despite getting five runners on base through the first four innings, Hofstra was held hitless until the fifth inning, when Chelsea Manto beat out a play at first with an infield single, but they couldn't push the tying run across home plate.
 
Angelina Ioppolo led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a double to right field, and she advanced to third base on a sacrifice bunt from Becca Vaillancourt, setting up Gianna Iaquinto with the tying run on an RBI single into the outfield. McKevitt entered the game as a pinch hitter, and she launched a 0-1 pitch over the center field wall for her first home run of the season, putting the Pride ahead 3-1 with one swing of the bat. After back-to-back walks to Manto and Kasey Collins, Meghan Giordano added an insurance run on a single that squeaked past the diving Villanova shortstop, scoring Collins and making it a 4-1 scoreline. Despite two Villanova runners reaching base in the top of the seventh inning, Nikki Mullin shut down any hopes for a comeback attempt with consecutive groundouts to end the game and pick up her second save of the season.
 
Hofstra drew seven walks in Thursday's game, with Collins and Giordano leading the team with two apiece. Annabella Pisapia got the win on 2.1 innings pitched with one strikeout and only two hits allowed. Anna Butler got her first-career start inside the circle and went 3.2 innings while registering a strikeout against five hits and a run.
 
The Pride takes a trip down to Virginia to resume Colonial Athletic Association action against Hampton (12-20, 2-9 CAA), beginning with a doubleheader on Saturday (Apr. 15) at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., before wrapping up the series on Sunday (Apr. 16) at 1 p.m.
 
NOTES:
-Hofstra improves to 4-6 all-time against Villanova. This was Hofstra's first win over the Wildcats since 2021.
-Manto recorded her 16th stolen base of the season.
-Hofstra tied a season-high with two double plays turned against Villanova.
-Each team left nine runners on base.