Harrisonburg, VA – The Hofstra softball team bounced back from a Friday defeat in a big way, winning both games in a Saturday doubleheader against Buffalo and James Madison from the Lakeside Book Company Invitational. The Pride downed Buffalo 8-5 before pulling off a come-from-behind 3-2 win over hosts James Madison.
Hofstra is now 3-8 on the season, while Buffalo slips to 5-14 following its loss to James Madison, and the Dukes are now 8-7 with its doubleheader split.
Nicole Cancel got the Pride going in the first game with a two-run home run in the second inning, and
Mackenzie Fitzgerald added another run on a bases loaded RBI double in the third inning, scoring
Dahlia Palacio to make it a 3-0 game. Buffalo got on the scoreboard with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the third inning before taking a two-run lead with a four-run fourth inning.
Following a scoreless fifth inning for both teams,
Gemma D'Orazio launched a one-out solo home run in the sixth inning to kickstart a four-run rally to help the Pride retake the lead. With two outs and Cancel and
Alanna Morse in scoring position, Palacio pushed a single through the right side of the infield to clear the bases and put the Pride ahead by one.
Gabby Sultan stepped up next and added on an insurance run with an RBI double to make it a 7-5 score. Buffalo threatened with runners on second and third with one out, but no runs would score as the Buffalo batter flied out and the runner on third was called out for leaving the base early. Hofstra added an eighth run in the seventh inning, and
Madison Steppe finished off the Bulls in the bottom half of the inning to secure her first collegiate win.
Cancel finished with her first multi-hit game of the season and scored three RBIs, while Morse drew three walks and Palacio was walked twice. Steppe retired 10 Buffalo batters via strikeout in six innings of work, and
Emma Falen also pitched an inning of relief in the game.
In the second game, James Madison opened the scoring with a solo home run in the second inning, and an RBI double in the third put the Dukes ahead 2-0. After
Dahlia Palacio led off the fourth inning with a walk and advanced all the way to third on a wild pitch and throwing error,
Gabby Sultan tied the game at 2-2 with a home run over the wall in left center.
Alanna Morse completed the turnaround for Hofstra in the sixth inning with what would end up being the game-winning RBI single, scoring
Gemma D'Orazio from second to make it 3-2 Pride. James Madison had a chance to tie or win the game with a runner on third, but Hofstra drew a game-ending groundout to seal the win.
Cancel, Morse, Palacio, Sultan,
Chelsea Villar, and
Lily Yepez all tallied one hit each against the Dukes, and D'Orazio led the Pride with two walks.
Emma Falen pitched all seven innings in the win and struck out three James Madison batters.
Hofstra concludes the Lakeside Book Company Invitational on Sunday with another doubleheader against Buffalo and James Madison. The Pride and Bulls will square off at 11 a.m., before Hofstra takes the diamond against the Dukes at 1:30 p.m.
NOTES:
-Hofstra is now 4-1 all-time against Buffalo and 43-26 all-time against James Madison. Today was the first meeting between the Pride and the Dukes since April 9-10, 2022, the last season James Madison was a member of the CAA.
-Palacio has now reached base safely in 15 consecutive games.
-Cancel's three RBIs against Buffalo are a new career-high.
-Steppe is the first Hofstra freshman pitcher to record double-digit strikeouts in a game since
Haley Venturini fanned 12 batters against Iona on March 20, 2022.
