Harrisonburg, VA – The Hofstra softball team concluded its time at the Lakeside Book Company Invitational with a pair of losses to Buffalo and James Madison. The Pride fell in an 11-9 shootout against the Bulls before dropping a 5-3 contest against hosts James Madison. Hofstra is now 3-10 on the year, while Buffalo moves to 6-14, and the Dukes improve to 9-7.
Buffalo put six runs on the board in the first two innings before the first Hofstra player crossed home plate in the second inning on an RBI single by
Lily Yepez. After another two runs in the top of the third put the score at 8-1 in favor of the Bulls, Hofstra cut the deficit in half with a three-run third inning. Following back-to-back singles by
Gabby Sultan and
Chelsea Villar,
Victoria Frobosilo cleared the bases with a triple to make it 8-3, and
Gemma D'Orazio scored Frobosilo on a single to the outfield, putting the score at 8-4. Buffalo responded in the next inning with three runs to lead by seven, but the Pride offense plated five runs in the bottom of the fifth to claw to within two. After a lead-off single by
Ryleigh Smith, Sultan slammed her second home run of the season, then
Mackenzie Fitzgerald belted a two-run home run of her own after a
Chelsea Villar walk to make it an 11-8 score, and
Nicole Cancel launched a solo home run to put the score at 11-9. Unfortunately, Hofstra stranded six runners on base over the next three innings before the final out.
Sultan and Mackenzie both finished with three hits against the Bulls, while Cancel, Villar, and Yepezboth tallied two hits in the game, and D'Orazio drew two walks.
Emma Falen got the start and struck out five batters in 2.1 innings, while
Madison Steppe recorded four punchouts in 1.2 innings, and
Jillian Locher recorded a strikeout in 1.1 innings.
Emma Brennan and
Kailyn Haig also appeared in the circle in the doubleheader's first game.
After a scoreless first two innings against James Madison, the Dukes scored the opening run in the third inning on an RBI single, and Hofstra responded in the fourth inning when
Gabby Sultan scored on a fielding error, tying the score at 1-1, before James Madison pulled in front 5-1 thanks to a four-run sixth inning.
Victoria Frobosilo led off the seventh inning with a single before advancing to second on a wild pitch.
Nicole Cancel laid down a successful bunt to advance Frobosilo and put runners on the corners, allowing Frobosilo to score on a
Ryleigh Smith single before
Alanna Morse drove in a run on a single to bring the Pride to within two before
Chelsea Villar grounded out to end the game.
Smith recorded two hits for the first multi-hit game of her collegiate career, while Cancel, Frobosilo, Morse, and Villar all tallied one hit each.
Kailyn Haig struck out two James Madison batters in five innings from the circle, and
Madison Steppe worked an inning.
Hofstra opens its home and CAA schedule beginning on Friday, March 6, with a three-game series against Stony Brook.
NOTES:
-Hofstra's 15 hits against the Bulls are the most in a game by the Pride since March 5, 2025, against Drexel.
-With a walk against Buffalo,
Dahlia Palacio has now reached base safely in 16 consecutive games.
-Hofstra is now 4-2 against Buffalo and 43-27 against James Madison.
