After recording just one hit in their season opener, the Hofstra University baseball team earned their first run of the season on Feb. 15, with a Dom Camera home run at the top of the fifth inning. While the Pride scored for the first time in their 2025 campaign, their ability to hold runners dropped from the day before. Hofstra lost 18-1 against the No. 2 University of Tennessee in another six-and-a-half-inning contest.
Tristan Nemjo made his first appearance since the 2023 season, getting the start for the Pride. He went 3.0 innings allowing six earned runs on four hits and four walks.
Nemjo pitched a clean first inning, getting Dean Curley to groundout to shortstop Michael Brown and Gavin Kilen to foul out to third baseman Bryce Curry for the first two outs. Nemjo allowed a double to Hunter Ensley, but got Andrew Fischer to fly out to Luke Masiuk.
Nemjo walked Levi Clark to start the second, but struck out Cannon Peebles before allowing three more base runners as Clark came home for the Volunteers’ first run of the game. Nemjo then threw a wild pitch, allowing Manny Marin to score, which gave Tennessee the lead. The inning ended with Curley flying out to center fielder, Trenton Snyder.
Nemjo’s pitching woes went well into the third inning. Kilen struck out looking to lead off before Nemjo walked both Ensley and Fischer. Clark hit a single back to Nemjo to load up the bases for Peebles, who drove in Hensley on a fielder’s choice to second baseman, Dylan Palmer.
Nemjo then walked Marin to load up the bases once again as Chris Newstrom hit a three-run double for a 6-0 score after three.
Tanner Sanderoff came in for Nemjo in the fourth inning, walking Kilen and Ensley to set the stage for a three-run home run from Clark.
Camera led off the fifth inning hitting his first career home run off Michael Sharman. Brown walked before getting erased on the base paths on a fielder’s choice by Palmer.
Austin Hunley came in for Sharman, holding the Pride to just the one run, striking out Masiuk and getting Tyler Cox to hit a grounder back to the mound to end the inning.
Palmer, who stole 27 bases on 30 attempts in 2024, swiped two bases against the Volunteers during the game.
Danny Kelleher came in to pitch for the Pride in the bottom of the fifth and gave up a grand slam to Ensley. He was taken out after giving up a RBI single to Jay Abernathy and another three-run homer against Blake Grimmer to make the score 17-1 Tennessee.
Kelleher’s substitute, Trent Jenks, faced three batters over one out. Kilen welcomed Jenks by tripling to right center, scoring on a throwing error from Curry for the final score of 18-1.
Cox had the Pride’s only other hit, a single to left field at the top of the fourth inning.
Hofstra’s pitching staff gave up 11 hits and allowed seven walks over six innings.
The Pride finished their Opening Weekend series against the Volunteers on Sunday, Feb. 16. Branden Brown, a junior transfer from Chesapeake College, started the series finale for Hofstra against the reigning NCAA champions. First pitch was at 11 a.m.
