By Gio Annatelli – STAFF WRITER
After splitting the doubleheader against Delaware, the Hofstra Pride was unable to clinch the series and fell to the Fightin’ Blue Hens 14-1 at Bob Hannah Stadium on Sunday.
Seven different Pride pitchers tried to limit the damage in eight innings of work on the mound but each one couldn’t get the job done.
With the win, Delaware improves to 9-5 overall and 2-1 in the conference while Hofstra falls to 5-11 on the season, 2-4 in the CAA.
Delaware scored in every inning except in the second, the Fightin’ Blue Hens set the tone with a commanding 8-0 lead after six innings.
Hofstra finally got on the board by a sacrifice fly from Eric Ferguson in the seventh. The Fightin’ Blue Hens never took their foot off the gas, as they scored one in the bottom of the seventh and exploded for five runs in the eighth.
Pride relievers Ryan Donovan, Kieran Ryan and Patrick Bryant each pitched one third of the final inning and struggled with one hit and four walks.
Ryan Donovan got the blunt of the hit with four runs, added to his name, he threw two walks and two hit-by-pitches that drove in the first run of the inning.
Then Kieran Ryan took over the mound but he let the second run off a balk and Ryan gave up a base hit to let another score, all three runs still credited to Donovan since he initially pitched to them.
The a throwing error accounted for two unearned runs – one for Donovan and one for Ryan – until Bryant finished the game with the final out.
Tyler Powell was the leader for Delaware, he collected five hits on the day, including a two-run triple, and he walked across home plate three times.
Dalton Rouleau, Brad Witkowski, David Leiderman, and Jake Fallon were the sole Pride players with hits on the day, each with one hit across the socreboard.
Delaware’s Ron Marinaccio threw a complete game four-hitter, allowing one run and one walk along with five strikeouts.
Marinaccio improves to 2-1 on the year. Hofstra’s Adam Heidenfelder took the tough loss, letting up five runs on seven hits in four innings of work. Heidenfelder is now 0-3 on the season.
Hofstra returns home on Tuesday to host the Manhattan Jaspers at University Field for the first time this season. First pitch will commence at 3:30 p.m.
