The Hofstra University baseball team concluded a tough Opening Weekend against the University of Tennessee. The Pride lost 13-1 in six and a half innings on Sunday, Feb. 16.
Hofstra was outscored 46-2 over three days in Knoxville, Tennessee, as an almost entirely new pitching staff appeared for the Pride.
Dylan Palmer, who is hitting .167 with a .334 OPS and two stolen bases in his first two games, was a late scratch to the lineup and sat out in his first game since his 2023 freshman season.
Filling in at second base was freshman Jake Harring. Harring, who reached base on a bunt to lead off the game, stole second and advanced to third base on a Tyler Cox groundout. Bryce Curry brought Harring home on a sac fly to put the Pride up 1-0, their first lead of the season.
Branden Brown started for the Pride, giving up a leadoff single to Dean Curley, who reached third base off two errors by the Hofstra defense before scoring on a wild pitch. He gave up three more runs in the bottom of the first, walking two batters and allowing three more hits.
Brown settled down, recording three consecutive outs on a swinging strikeout, a sacrifice grounder to first baseman Sean Lane, and a lineout to Harring to end the inning.
Brown’s command problems continued into the second inning when he gave up five walks. He also recorded a throwing error on a failed pickoff attempt to drive in the first of three runs in the inning before being taken out after 1.1 innings, earning the loss.
Freshman infielder Grady Lacourciere made his collegiate pitching debut in an unfortunate situation, coming on the mound with the bases loaded. In his first time at bat, Lacourciere gave up a grand slam to extend Tennessee’s lead to 11-1. He then walked a batter and gave up two singles for another run but stranded two batters and returned for a scoreless third and fourth inning.
Hofstra’s defense showed signs of improvement in Lacourciere’s first full inning, turning a 6-4-3 double play to keep Tennessee off the board in the third.
Freshman Brayden Gregg debuted for the Pride by pitching a scoreless fifth inning. After giving up a sac fly to Levi Clark in the sixth, Gregg immediately followed up by striking out Brayden Sharp to end the frame.
Tennessee reliever Andrew Behnke earned the win after not giving up a single run and just one hit at the top of the fourth inning.
Hofstra returned to the newly renovated University Field for their home opener when they host Iona University on Saturday, Feb. 22. The Gaels enter their three-game series against the Pride with a 1-1 record after splitting two games with Coppin State University. First pitch was slated for 2 p.m.
