The Hofstra University baseball team lost their second of three games against the University of Delaware when they dropped the series rubber game 16-6 on Sunday, April 27. The series finale loss marked the Pride’s ninth mercy-rule loss of the season.
With the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) matchup, the Pride fell to 14-30 overall with a 4-14 in-conference record, remaining in the bottom spot of the CAA standings. The Fightin’ Blue Hens improved to 24-18 overall and hold a 10-8 record against CAA teams, holding the fourth spot in the conference standings.
Hofstra began scoring early in the game by opening the series finale with a three-run inning. After Dylan Palmer and Michael Brown each recorded a walk, Luke Masiuk sent Palmer home on an RBI single. Sean Lane followed by taking first base on an error from Delaware shortstop Brett Lesher, which sent Brown home. After CJ Griggs singled to the shortstop, Dom Camera forced Masiuk in after being hit by pitch.
Tristan Nemjo pitched a 1-2-3 first inning but struggled to find his footing in the second inning, tying up the game. With runners on second and third base, Jackson Tyer drove Andrew Amato home on a groundout to Brown at shortstop. Immediately after Tyer’s sacrifice hit, Tanner Donati hit a two-run home run.
Sean Lane got his lone RBI of the day on a solo home run in the top of the third inning, handing a short lead back to the Pride.
Delaware scored another trio of runs in the next inning, opening the bottom of the third inning with a solo home run from Aaron Graeber. LT Cockrill, who doubled toward left field and advanced to third base on a flyout by Aiden Stewart, stole home on a wild pitch. Then, with two outs, Nemjo gave up another home run, this time to Amato for a 6-4 score.
Nemjo left the game with his sixth loss of the season, giving up six runs on six hits in three innings. The starter also recorded three strikeouts in his start.
The Pride gave up 10 runs in the next two innings, including a three-run home run to Amato in the fourth inning and a three RBI doubles in the fifth inning, one which drove in two runs.
Hofstra spent the next two innings attempting to avoid another mercy-rule loss but failed despite driving in a run per the two-inning span. With Griggs on second and Lane on third, Michael Craig drove Lane home on a first-pitch single, but the inning ended when Nick Biddle hit into a double play.
The next inning, Griggs forced a run on a bases-loaded walk, but Camera ended the inning on a fielder’s choice before the Pride had the chance to score again and extend the game.
Hofstra played Seton Hall University for a second time this season on Wednesday, April 30, this time as the road team. The Pride took a 13-12 victory over the Pirates at University Field in their last matchup on March 25. First pitch for Wednesday was set for 4 p.m. at Owen T. Carroll Field on Seton Hall’s campus.
