The Hofstra University baseball team lost its third Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) series of the season when they took an 8-6 loss against Towson University on Saturday, April 4.
With the loss, Hofstra fell to 10-16 overall and 5-7 in CAA play, while Towson improved to 13-15 on the season and 4-11 against conference opponents.
On Saturday, April 4, one week after being praised by the Pride’s coaching staff for the effectiveness of his pitching, Sean Hamilton appeared as a completely different pitcher on the mound against the Tigers. In his brief 2.1-inning appearance, Hamilton gave up seven runs on six hits and failed to strike anyone out in Towson’s lineup, despite fanning seven batters in his last appearance.
Hamilton’s struggles began to show early in the game. He got leadoff batter Nick LoBello to line out to Hofstra’s second baseman Tyler Castrataro, gave up a base hit to Keldrin Rodriguez and a two-run home run to Brian Heckelman. Even though Hamilton got out of the inning after pitching back-to-back groundouts, an irreversible damage was caused by Towson’s powerful top third of the lineup.
Hofstra cut the lead to one run on an RBI double from Michael Craig in the top of the second, but Towson reset the previous two-run difference in the bottom of the inning when AJ Kolb plated Nich Francuzenko on an RBI single to center field.
In the top of the third, a throwing error from Towson third baseman Ethan Brand sent a speedy Michael Brown to score from second base. A single from Castrataro to right-center field sent both CJ Griggs and Tyler Cox home without starter Liam Diehl earning any runs on the play, which gave the Pride the lead for only a few outs.
Hamilton’s mound appearance ended after Frank Adamski Jr. tied the game on an RBI single. The Tigers ultimately took back their lead on a two-run single by Francuzenko to right field.
Nick Reese came in for relief and charged Hamilton with his last earned run, which came on a single from Kolb that sent home inherited runner Adamski. Reese easily got the final two outs of the inning, striking out Brand and throwing a popout ball to LoBello.
Deuce Musial gave Reese a run on the day by sending home inherited runner Francuzenko on a fielding error from third baseman George Holt, making his third consecutive start at the hot corner, albeit with only his first error as a member of the Pride.
Fortunately for the Pride’s bullpen, Tanner Sanderoff came in for three-hitless innings with his only baserunner coming on a walk in the bottom of the eighth. His appearance in the series finale against the Tigers was his longest of the season. His six strikeouts broke a previous record of four strikeouts in a 2.2-inning appearance against Monmouth University on March 14.
Down four runs, the Pride attempted to stage a slow late-game comeback. With two outs in the top of the seventh, Castrataro sent Nick Gallello home on a first-pitch single down the third-base line. The final scoring play for the Pride came two innings later when Gabriel Melara sent Cox home with two outs for an 8-6 Tigers lead. The game ended soon after when Castrataro struck out.
After five rest days, the Pride are back in action on Friday, April 10, hosting Stony Brook University for a local-CAA rivalry series. First pitch for the series opener is set for 2 p.m.
