BROOKLYN, N.Y. - The LIU Brooklyn softball team jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the third inning against Hofstra, only to see the Pride score nine unanswered runs and take a 9-4 decision in the home opener for the Blackbirds at LIU Field on Thursday. 

The contest began as a pitcher's duel between sophomore Erynn Sobieski and Hofstra's Jessica Peslak. The two allowed just a pair of singles through the first two and a half innings, before the Blackbirds broke the scoreless deadlock in the bottom of the third.

Junior Kayla Gloady recorded the first hit for LIU with one out in the frame, before sophomore Karlie Brady bunted for a base hit and forced an errant throw by the Pride third baseman to put runners on the corners with just one out. A walk to senior Whitney West loaded the bases for classmate Ariana Lopez.

Lopez, who was coming off a 2-for-4, four-RBI outing against Manhattan last week, drove a 2-1 pitch over the left-field wall for a grand slam that pushed the Blackbirds in front, 4-0. The lead would be shortlived, however, as the Pride responded with four runs in the following inning, with the big blow coming on a two-out, three-run triple by Nikki Michalowski. 

LIU threatened to regain the lead in the bottom of the fourth, as senior Alyssa Gospodarek led off with a walk. Pinch runner Alyssa Lanktree advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and, with two outs, pinch hitter Schae Dickson hit a line drive to centerfield right at Caryn Bailey to end the inning.

Hofstra took its first lead in the fifth, as an error on the Blackbirds allowed an unearned run to cross before an RBI single from Brielle Pietrafesa put the score at 6-4. Pietrafesa was a thorn in LIU's side all day, as she recorded three hits and drove in a pair of runs.

Three runs over the final two innings pushed the margin to 9-4, with LIU Brooklyn's offense only able to muster a base hit in both the sixth and seventh innings in falling to 11-21 on the year. 

LIU Brooklyn remains at home for its Northeast Conference opening doubleheader against Saint Francis U. on Saturday, April 1. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.