The Hofstra University baseball team split their doubleheader on Saturday, March 2, against the University of New Mexico Lobos. The Pride won the first game in an offensive slugfest, 16-15, but dropped the second 11-7 in a shortened seven-inning game.
Game one of the doubleheader will be one to remember for Hofstra, as they faced multiple comeback situations and came up in clutch to take down the Lobos. Dylan Palmer, Santino Rosso and Alex McCoy all contributed four or more hits while Michael Florides had three.
Rosso clobbered his fourth home run of the season over the center field wall in the fourth inning, followed by a ground-rule double in the seventh which tied the game at nine. This resulted in four RBIs on the day.
McCoy scored a double and a single in the sixth and seventh innings. His bat helped the Pride get over the top in extra innings with a two-run blast to the opposite field which gave Hofstra the lead and the 16-15 win over the Lobos.
When there are so many runs in a game, the pitching is not the best for both teams. Steven Kaenzig got his third start of the season but only survived 4.1 innings, compiling six runs off of six hits with five strikeouts. Hofstra used five relief pitchers, with Russell Hunter getting his first win on the season. Hunter only allowed one run off of one hit, but he walked six with three strikeouts. Cade Henry came out in the tenth and closed out the game with his first save of the season.
The Lobos’ pitching fell in the same boat. New Mexico sent out Wil Bannister for the start, who allowed five runs off of nine hits while only striking out four. The Lobos used four relievers after Bannister. Jaren Jackson had the loss tagged to his name and is now 0-3 on the season. Jackson survived 3.0 innings, allowing four runs on four hits and only striking out two.
Kyle Smith and Josh McAlister had three and four hits, respectively, for the Lobos. Smith had a seven RBI-day and McAlister had four, but their efforts could not get New Mexico any runs with only 10 hits on the day.
When it seemed like Hofstra had all the momentum from their extra-inning victory 40 minutes prior, the Pride could not capitalize on their win and succumbed to an 11-7 loss in a seven-inning game.
Hofstra did come out hot in the first inning with four runs from a double and two singles from McCoy, Matt Pelcher and Luke Masiuk. The Lobos quickly put two runs back up in the bottom half for a 4-2 score. In the second and third innings, Hofstra extended the lead with Rosso continuing to hit all over the field with an RBI single. Steve Harrington hit his first home run of the season in the fifth, putting the Pride’s lead at 7-4, but that run would be the last in the game for Hofstra.
New Mexico continued to trail behind Hofstra, but their fifth inning decided the game. Carlos Martinez started for the Pride and cruised through four innings, keeping the Lobos at bay. In the fifth, Martinez struggled, setting up a game-tying two-run blast from catcher Jake Holland which knocked Martinez out of the game.
Martinez finished the game with eight strikeouts but fumbled his way to allowing seven runs on 10 hits. Henry came in but immediately gave up a home run and an RBI single, putting up four runs on the board for New Mexico with the lead.
Brett Russell had the start for the Lobos in this game, but Justin Still came in for him in the sixth and completely shut down Hofstra. Allowing no runs on two hits with four strikeouts, Still nailed down the save for the Lobos and won the second game of the doubleheader 11-7.
New Mexico’s pitching was stronger in the second game compared to the first. Hofstra’s pitching remains an issue, as they allow a lot of runs in every game. The Pride’s offense, however, often produces enough runs to combat when their pitching staff is struggling in games.
Hofstra plays their fourth and final game of this series against New Mexico on Sunday, March 3.
Photo courtesy of Tim March
