Hampton, VA – Dahlia Palacio and Lily Yepez both recorded career-highs in hitting for the Hofstra softball team against Hampton in a 9-3 road win to begin its three-game CAA series. The win improves the Pride to a 10-13 overall record and a 6-1 mark in the conference, while Hampton drops to 6-15 overall and 1-6 in the CAA.
 
With runners on first and second with two outs in the top of the first, Dahlia Palacio laced a double off the wall in right center to score the first two runs of the afternoon. Nicole Cancel brought home the third Hofstra runoff the contest on a sacrifice fly, while Palacio crossed home on a groundout by Mackenzie Fitzgerald to make it 4-0 Pride. Alanna Morse took advantage of a Hampton error off a Gabby Sultan double to score in the fourth inning, but Hampton got on the board in the bottom half of the inning on an RBI single.
 
Lily Yepez drove a one-out double to the wall in left center to score a run before coming all the way home on a Hampton fielding error to make it a 7-1 Hofstra lead in the fifth inning, but Hampton added a pair in the bottom half to trail by four late. Hofstra added a pair of insurance runs in the seventh inning when Yepez tripled home Palacio and Yepez scored on a double steal.
 
Yepez finished the day with a perfect 4-4 at the plate, and Palacio went 3-4 from the dish. Morse also had a multi-hit game with two against the Pirates. In the circle, Madison Steppe went the distance once again with four strikeouts in 107 pitches for her fourth complete game win of the season.
 
The series resumes from Pirates Softball Stadium on Saturday at 3 p.m.
 
NOTES:
-Steppe has won her last five starts.
-Yepez's four hits are the most by a member of the Pride in a CAA game since Chelsea Manto logged four against Drexel on April 30, 2022.
-Hofstra has won all eight meetings against Hampton.
-Hofstra and Hampton both stranded seven runners on base.