The Hofstra University baseball team fell to Kent State University on Friday, March 14, with a score of 16-3. The Pride suffered their fifth run-rule loss of the season, falling to 6-11 while Kent State improved to 7-7.
The Golden Flashes got to Jackson Bauer, Hofstra’s starter, in the first inning, scoring four runs, all earned, and three hits.
Micah Rienstra-Kiracofe of Kent State led off the game with a single, and quickly made his way to third, advancing to second on a stolen base and taking third thanks to a passed ball. After a walk to Jake Casey, Brody Williams hit an RBI single to open the scoring and advance the runners to first and third base. Dom Kibler capped off the inning with a three-run home run.
Bauer got off to a quick start in the second inning, sitting down the first two batters he faced, but déjà vu would strike as Williams ripped up an RBI single that scored Hayden Jatczak. Casey drew another walk and Kibler, yet again, capped off the inning with a three-run homer.
The Pride struggled defensively in the third inning, as Dylan Palmer led off the inning with a throwing error. Four batters later, Michael Craig committed an error, allowing Rienstra-Kiracofe and Brady Marshall to score.
For Hofstra’s relief, Michael Heyman pitched a scoreless fourth inning, giving up one hit and striking out two hitters.
A leadoff error from Bryce Curry in the fifth was the beginning of another big inning for Kent State. They strung together four hits and six runs. After Kibler recorded his seventh RBI when he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, three straight singles brought home five runs to extend the Pride’s deficit to 16-0. Swayer Solitaria, Kolton Schaller and Marshall did the damage.
The Pride scored three runs on three hits in the seventh inning. Craig led off with a single but was thrown out at second when Palmer grounded into a fielder’s choice. Michael Brown then brought home the speedy second baseman with a double down the left field line. Tyler Castrataro then lifted the ball over the center field fence for his fourth home run of the season. Despite Hofstra’s three-run inning, the game still ended in the seventh due to their deficit being larger than 10 runs.
The Pride took on Kent State again on Saturday, March 15, at 3 p.m. at Olga Mural Field at Schoonover Stadium.
