One day after shutting out the No. 4 seed College of Charleston in the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) tournament’s winners’ bracket, the No. 5 seed Hofstra University baseball team continued their postseason underdog run. Hofstra shutout their second opponent in a row, this time defeating the No. 2 seed Northeastern University on Thursday, May 21.
The Pride were the first team to reach two wins in the CAA tournament, with both wins being shutouts.
Hofstra’s offense got off to a hot start almost immediately. With two quick outs away in the top of the first, Gabriel Melara kept the inning alive with his third first-pitch triple of the season. Coincidentally, all Melara’s triples have come off Northeastern pitches, tacking on one three-bagger in each of the home and road series. The knock was Melara’s second triple of the year off Northeastern starter Robbie O’Connor.
The inning continued when Nick Biddle scored Melara to give the Pride an early 1-0 lead. That lead extended by two runs when Tyler Castrataro recorded a two-run single that scored Nick Gallello and Tyler Cox.
Hofstra tacked on another run in the next inning, when Melara drove in a run after scoring one during the previous inning. Melara successfully sent CJ Griggs home from second base but was ruled out attempting to reach second base.
The game remained scoreless until the Pride scored once more in the top of the fifth. A passed ball by Huskies reliever David McSweeney allowed Michael Brown to score.
Hofstra’s pitching backed up the stellar offensive performance. Using a trio of pitchers in the game – Nick Reese, Joseph Curreri and Tanner Sanderoff – the Pride’s arms only gave up a total of two hits. Northeastern’s only hits were both singles by Carter Bentley in the bottom of the third and Harrison Feinberg in the bottom of the eighth. Curreri took the win after striking out three batters across 4.1 innings, while Sanderoff came in for a hitless no-save one-inning appearance.
O’Connor took the loss after allowing five runs – four allowed – on six hits in four innings pitched. Overall, Hofstra recorded 12 hits against Northeastern’s pitching.
Elsewhere in the CAA tournament, Charleston was the first team to get eliminated following a 7-2 loss against the No. 3 seed Monmouth University at the 11 a.m. game on Thursday, May 21.
Another trio of games were played on Friday, May 22. The Pride faced the No. 1 seed Campbell University in the 7 p.m. nightcap after the Camels defeated UNC-Wilmington 3-1.
