Jackson Township, NJ – The Hofstra softball team concluded its time in Jackson Township, New Jersey by going 1-1 on the final day of the FDU Classic from Adventure Crossing. The Pride defeated Bucknell 8-4 before a 1-0 loss against FDU.
 
Hofstra's record now sits at 2-5 following the day's results.
 
Game 1: Hofstra 8, Bucknell 4
Hofstra jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead with a three-run first inning. With runners on second and third, Becca Vaillancourt brought in the day's first run with a bunt single, allowing Chelsea Manto to score from third. Lily Yepez crossed home to make it 2-0 Pride on a sac fly by Olivia Malinowski, and Alanna Morse scored Vaillancourt on an RBI single to put the score at 3-0.
 
After Bucknell made it a two-score game with a run in the second inning, Vaillancourt blasted a two-run home run over the left field wall to make it 5-1 Pride after five innings. Bucknell plated a second run in the sixth inning to trail by four, but four straight Hofstra doubles allowed the Pride to add another three runs and extend its lead to six in the top of the seventh inning. After Aliya Catanzarita got on base with a two-out double, Vaillancourt laced her third hit of the contest to score Catanzarita. Malinowski brought Vaillancourt home with a double of her own, and Mackenzie Fitzgerald made the score 8-2 with an RBI double on the next at bat. The Bison added another two runs in the bottom of the seventh to come to within four before the final out.
 
Vaillancourt led the Pride with three hits and four RBI, while Malinowski, Fitzgerald, and Lily Yepez all tallied two hits for Hofstra. Manto stole two bases, and Yepez swiped a base.
 
Annabella Pisapia got the win after allowing just one run and striking out two in four innings of work. Haley Venturini pitched 2.2 innings and gave up three runs, while Anna Butler got the final out of the game for her first save of the season.
 
Game 2: FDU 1, Hofstra 0
Hofstra's Marisa Ogden and FDU's Brooklyn Shroyer engaged in a pitcher's duel that lasted well into the seventh inning. Despite scattering 11 hits by the Knights, Ogden didn't allow a runner across home plate for over six innings while striking out three batters. Despite Ogden's fine performance in the circle, Shroyer topped her with no runs on only three hits and 17 K's.
 
The breakthrough run in the game came with one out in the top of the sixth inning. With runners on the corners, FDU's Hayden Salter singled down right side, scoring Riley Cunningham for the go-ahead run. Hofstra went down on three strikeouts in the bottom half of the inning.
 
Yepez went 2-3 against Shroyer, while Manto went 1-2 with a pair of stolen bases. Butler pitched the remaining two outs of the sixth inning and didn't allow a hit.
 
Hofstra returns to action at the Longhorn Invitational, hosted by Texas, on March 1-3. Hofstra will open the Invitational against Northwestern State at 11 a.m. (Eastern)/10 a.m. (Central), followed by Tarleton State at 1:30 p.m. (Eastern), 12:30 p.m.
 
NOTES:
-Chelsea Manto finished with four stolen bases across both games. She is now tied with Kristin Hallam for the most stolen bases in program history with 73.
-Becca Vaillancourt's home run was the first Hofstra home run of the season and her first as a member of the Pride.
-Hofstra is now 3-7 all-time against Bucknell and 2-1 against FDU.