By David Gibb
Since the last issue of The Chronicle, the Hofstra Pride Baseball Team has played 12 games with decidedly mixed results. The stretch opened with a 3-game slate against CAA rival Northeastern, who entered the series 10-7 overall with a 1-2 mark in conference play.
Game one of both the series and March 27thís double-header against the Huskies was a frustrating loss for the Pride, who could not capitalize on arguably their best pitching performance of the season. Senior starter Brody Fontaine pitched seven strong innings, allowing Northeastern only three hits and one earned run (which came by way of a solo home run), but was rewarded only with a loss. Despite out-hitting the Huskies 8-3, the Pride offense could not capitalize with men on base, and ultimately fell 1-0.
The second game of the day’s double-header was equally frustrating, as the Pride turned 10 hits into only 3 runs, while allowing Northeastern 14 runs on 19 hits. Husky starter Jeff Thomson pitched 6 highly effective innings, allowing no runs, only 3 hits, and striking out five Dutchmen.
In the final game of the series, the Pride found redemption in extra innings, scoring two runs in the bottom of the tenth to defeat the Huskies. As in so many of Hofstra’s wins this season, the offensive heroes were leadoff man Mark Stuckless (4-for-6 with two runs scored in the game) and Tom Legregni (2-for-4 in the contest), each of whom drove in 10th inning runs to end the tough series on a positive note and also give the Pride their first CAA win of 2009.
Somebody must have rubbed a magic lamp on March 31st, as the Hofstra offense, seemingly bottled up for so long, came alive against Manhattan College in a big way. Every Pride batter who came to the plate in the game had at least one hit, and three different men (Legregni, Kenny, and Mentrasti) each had three hits and four RBI apiece en route to a 19-10 victory over the Jaspers on University Field. In an interesting statistical anomaly, despite 4 Jasper errors, all but one of the Prideís 19 runs was earned.
The very next day, the team continued their winning ways, this time against local Long Island rival Stony Brook. For the second day in a row, the Pride saw their opponent’s fielders make multiple errors and took advantage, scoring 4 unearned runs. However, it was not as if Stony Brook simply handed Hofstra the game; Pride players were creating excitement (and runs) all over the base paths, with four different players stealing at least one base, and second baseman Tom Legregni claiming three stolen bags against the Seawolves.
While April started auspiciously for the Pride, their luck would run out when they traveled to Richmond, Virginia to face the VCU Rams in a three-game series. While Hofstra continued to score runs, averaging 5.7 per game in Richmond, the Rams battered Pride pitching, claiming victory in all three of the crucial CAA contests.
Only two days after the disappointing trip to Richmond ended, the Pride were back in action at home against the New York Institute of Technology. NYIT handled Hofstra pitching handily, charging an earned run to all but one of the eight pitchers the Pride sent to the mound in the game. While Hofstra ultimately mustered 4 runs on 9 hits, it was not nearly enough, and they ultimately lost the game 12 to 4.
This past weekend, the Delaware Blue Hens visited University Field, and in a three-game series outscored the Pride 50 to 7 (yes, you read that right: Fifty to Seven). Despite that remarkably lopsided figure, the Pride did gain one all-important conference win in the second game of the series. Matt Prokopowicz went 3-for-4 in the game with an RBI and a stolen base, leading the Pride to a consolatory victory before the Hens thrashed them 19-0 in the series’ final game.
While the Hofstra baseball team’s play over the break was far from exemplary, there were a number of positive moments. The team walked off with an exciting extra-inning CAA win against Northeastern, defeated Manhattan College, and asserted Hofstra’s Long Island dominance over rival Stony Brook. Most importantly, the team got off the snide in conference play and showed flashes of brilliance both offensively and in terms of pitching. All that remains is for the team to put the two together on a consistent basis, and the team will have their first chance to do just that this weekend in a three-game series at Old Dominion. Their next home game will be Tuesday the 21st at 3:00 PM against local rival Stony Brook.