By P.J. Potter – STAFF WRITER
Game One: Bonk drops fifth
Hofstra’s 16 hits were not enough to take down the Towson Tigers in the first game of three as the Pride lost, 13-8.
Chris Weiss started his first career game on the hill, going three innings while surrendering his first earned runs – four total – this season. He scattered seven hits and struck out one.
The Pride scored in the first inning off of a two-run single from David Leiderman, who finished the game going 4-for-5, with four runs batted in.
Freshman Mat Annunziata hit a solo home run in the bottom half of the second inning, his second of the year, to take the lead, 3-2.
Towson then struck for five runs over the next three innings off RBI singles from Richie Blosser and Chris Henze (4-for-4, 3 RBI).
Mark Grunberg also led off the fifth inning with a home run for the Tigers, accounting for two runs batted in on the day. Blosser finished the game with five RBI.
Chris Bonk gave up three earned in two innings and received the loss, now 2-5 with a 6.96 ERA in his first year with the Pride.
Nick Kozlowski threw 2.1 innings, raising his ERA to 9.11 after sending five Tigers in to score.
Pride pitchers have allowed 25 runs in the past two games, along with 30 hits, 11 walks and four hit batters.
David Leiderman had a career-best, four-RBI game and Brian MacDonald swung for three hits. Brad Witkowski, Chris Hardardt, and Steven Foster (2 RBI) all had two hits apiece.
Game Two: Bounceback win evens CAA series
Behind the solid pitching of Alec Eisenberg and Bowie Matteson, Hofstra was able to tie the series at one against Towson on Saturday.
Eisenberg went six innings and struck out four while giving up three runs to earn his third win on the season. Matteson threw the final three innings to get his third save. He allowed just one run on two hits.
Hofstra’s big inning came in the third when they scored four of their five runs in the bottom half. Steven Foster started the rally with a single and later reached second on a passed ball.
Brad Witkowski came up next to bat and drove Foster home while making it to second on the throw home.
David Leiderman continued to stay hot at the plate, sending Witkowski in to score on a single to the left side.
Brian MacDonald notched another base hit for the Pride, which set up Mat Annunziata for a two-run single.
The Tigers were able to answer back by scoring three runs in the next two innings off hits from Mark Grunberg, Colin Dyer and Chris Henze. They each finished the game with two hits and one RBI.
Hofstra scored their final winning run in the seventh inning. Leiderman brought home Foster on a fielder’s choice with the bases loaded, his sixth RBI in the past two games.
Towson’s Brendan Butler fought back in the ninth inning with an RBI base hit, but Matteson did not surrender another run, giving Hofstra their 11th win.
Witkowski and MacDonald both kept their hitting streaks alive to increase them to six consecutive games. Witkowski had three hits and a run batted in while MacDonald went 1-for-4 with a run scored.
Game Three: Incredible comeback wasted for loss
Towson defeated Hofstra, 20-19, in 10 innings on Sunday in the final game of three.
Hofstra went into the bottom of the ninth down 13 runs, 16-3. It seemed like the Pride would be defeated in the rubber match until Jake Fallon began the wild rally for Hofstra, with an RBI single to right field after two consecutive base hits from Brett Johnson and Chris Weiss.
Two straight walks loaded the bases for Dalton Rouleau, who knocked in a run on a base hit. The lead shrank to six runs following two-run doubles from David Leiderman and Mat Annunziata.
Brett Johnson brought Hofstra within three runs after hitting a home run with two men on base. Lou Carrafiello made it 16-14 on a sacrifice fly to right field. David Leiderman then roped his second two-run double of the inning to tie the score and send it to the 10th.
Towson made four runs in the top half of the inning after hitting two singles, a double and grounding into a fielder’s choice to put up 20 for the game.
Hofstra looked to come back again, but fell just short. The Pride sent three players home to score to make it a 20-19 final score. In the 10th, Steven Foster had an RBI base hit and later scored on a wild pitch. Rouleau had the other RBI on a single.
Towson designated hitter Chris Henze had a career game. He went 4-for-5 with nine runs batted in, which includes a home run and two doubles. A.J. Gallo and Colin Dyer finished the game with five combined RBI.
David Leiderman led the way for Hofstra with four hits and five RBI, making it 11 total runs batted in for the series. Rouleau had four hits as well, along with three runs and two RBI. Foster scored four times on three hits and a walk. Brett Johnson went 3-for-6 with three RBI.
Brad Witkowski’s hitting streak extended to seven games. He went 1-for-3.
Nine pitchers took the mound for Hofstra. Nick Kozlowski received his fourth loss this season, dropping his record to 1-4 with a 9.67 ERA after allowing two runs in a third of an inning. Hofstra’s pitching has allowed 49 runs in the past four games.
