By PJ Potter – STAFF WRITER
Elon’s four home runs were enough to carry them to their first win of the series in a 12-10 victory on Hofstra’s Senior Day.
The Pride celebrated eight players in their last home game of their college career: Kevin Weissheier, Brett Johnson, Eric Ferguson, Brendan Mulligan, Brian MacDonald, Dalton Rouleau, Nick Kozlowski, and Luke Noone.
“I’m just proud of how they’ve handled their career and I’ve always felt like they’ve shown really well of Hofstra,” Coach John Russo said on his final take of his graduating players.
The Phoenix got to work early against Hofstra’s Nick Kozlowski with three extra base hits in the 1st inning. Chris King doubled to right field, which scored Quinn Bower for the first run. Ryan Cooper and Nick Zammarelli smashed back-to-back home runs to put their team up 4-0 before Hofstra was able to came to bat. Cooper finished with three hits and two RBI. Zammarelli went 2-for-5 with two solo home runs.
Casey Jones lofted his 4th home run of the year in the 2nd to end Kozlowski’s final start at University Field. Kozlowski went a total of 2.1 innings and gave up seven runs on five hits and two walks.
Hofstra headed into the 5th down 11-0 until Chris Hardardt plated the Pride’s first run on a ground out to second base to bring in Eric Ferguson. Mat Annunziata then ripped his 4th home run of the season to right center field to make it 11-2.
The Pride went on to score four more runs over the next three innings. Ferguson poked a single through the left side of the infield to send home Brett Johnson, who hit a double to set up the run.
Johnson came up in the 8th and blasted a 2-run shot to right field, his 7th of the year. He finished the game with four hits, three of which for extra bases (two doubles and one home run).
Chris Hardardt then delivered his 2nd run batted in of the game on a base hit to left field.
Hofstra entered the 9th inning down 12-6. Dalton Rouleau started the rally with a beat out a ground ball to first base to break up the potential double play and later scored on a passed ball.
With two outs and runners on 2nd and 3rd, Eric Ferguson drew a walk to load the bases. Chris Hardardt once again found himself in an RBI situation and delivered, but in an unorthodox way. Hardardt lined the ball to center field, which would usually end the game, but Ryan Cooper dropped the ball to clear the bases and make the score 12-10.
Lefty Jake Stalzer was called on in relief to face Mat Annunziata and managed to get him to ground out to 2nd to end the game,earning his 1st save.
Lucas Bakker improved his record to 5-5 in seven innings pitched. He fell just one strikeout shy of his career high of nine in one outing and allowed five runs on 12 hits and one walk.
Senor relievers Brendan Mulligan, Luke Noone, and Kevin Weissheier all were given their chance to throw in the final home game of the season. Mulligan tossed two innings gave up two runs and struck out four. Noone also allowed two runs in 0.2 innings. Weissheier pitched two shutout innings and fanned three.
Freshmen Adam Heidenfelder and Adam Seibert finished the game for the Pride. Heidenfelder threw one run-free inning and Seibert gave up one run in the 9th.
Hofstra (18-27) travels to Harrisonburg, Virginia to face James Madison in their final three games of 2015.
