By Danny Powell

In a series that could have easily been swept by the Pride, lategame collapses led to back-toback losses, as the Pride saw their record slip to 7-11 at the hands of conference rival Old Dominion University.

The Pride did manage to steal a victory in the first game. After falling behind 4-0 in the early going, Hofstra roared back behind a 4-4 effort from senior designated hitter Andy Campana. With the Monarchs holding a 5-3 edge heading into the ninth inning, second baseman Chris Mentrasti drove in Campana with a double. Junior Anthony Sarno followed with an RBI triple to tie the score at five then scored on a throwing error to give the Pride a 6-5 lead. The three-run outburst proved to be the difference as senior closer Jeff Denlea held the lead to earn his first win of 2007 with two shutout, no-hit innings.

The Monarchs jumped out to an early lead in the Game 2 of the Saturday doubleheader as two fifth inning runs gave ODU a 3-1 cushion. Hofstra battled back to tie the game in the top of the sixth with RBIs from sophomores Nick Panzarella and Tom Legregni.

ODU came up big in their final at-bat, however, as the Monarchs plated four runs in the bottom half of the sixth to take a 7-3 lead. The Pride did not have another rally left in them as Monarchs pitcher Anthony Shawler put Hofstra away to finish up a complete game.

Normally, such a loss tends to take the wind out of a team but the Pride had to bounce back to play the series finale the next day and the came out fighting. Hofstra took an early lead as three ODU errors helped the Pride to four first inning runs. This time it was the Monarchs turn to mount a come back and after a three-run sixth inning highlighted by a two-run double for left fielder Mike Zahm, the Monarchs held a 6-5 lead.

The Pride drew even again in the top of the eight, however, as Legregni drove Campana in with a single. It didn’t stay that way for long, as the Monarchs came to life yet again in their last at-bat of the game.

With two outs in the bottom of the eighth, the Monarchs hit five singles and were aided by a Pride error to score five runs in the frame. The 11-6 deficit was too much for Hofstra as the Pride stranded two in the ninth to end the series.

While the Pride proved they can hang with the big boys in a strong CAA conference, the moral victory won’t go very far for the team. The heartbreaking losses could prove devastating for Hofstra, who will have plenty of time to think about them after Tuesday’s game with Stony Brook University and Wednesday’s doubleheader with Columbia University were both cancelled due to the snow on University Field.

The Pride’s next chance to erase the awful memories should come this weekend, as the Pride are set to travel to Delaware to take on the Blue Hens in a three game set. The series will open Friday at 2:30, a game that can be heard on WRHU.

Coach Chris Dotolo and the Pride baseball team know that simply staying competitive won’t deliver wins.