The home run ball and pitching worked together to help the Hofstra University Pride defeat the Long Island University (LIU) Sharks 8-1 Monday afternoon in Brookville, New York.
Kevin Bruggeman homered in the first while Steve Harrington cleared the bases in the ninth with a grand slam. Both players are tied for the team lead in home runs with five each.
Steven Kaenzig started for the Pride as he pitched 4.2 innings and only gave up one run on six hits while fanning six. Mark Faello, John Mikolaicyk and Michael O’Hanlon all pitched at least one inning in relief without allowing a single run on just three hits and combining for eight strikeouts. This is the first time Hofstra has allowed less than two runs in a game that Brad Camarda did not pitch in.
With the Pride already leading by two thanks to Bruggeman, freshman Dylan Palmer took an unorthodox trip around the bases. Palmer was walked on four pitches, stole second two pitches later and then stole third two pitches later again. This time the ball got away from the third baseman and allowed him to score to give Hofstra a 3-0 lead.
LIU responded in the bottom of the third with a two-out infield single that scored just one but stranded two runners as Kaenzig escaped the inning with a ground out. In the following inning, he pitched without letting up a hit and got two consecutive strikeouts. After that he ran into some trouble, allowing two singles, signalling in Faello, who struck out the next batter to end the inning.
Mikolaicyk came in to pitch the seventh inning with a three-run lead from a Jake Liberatore RBI ground out and threw two perfect innings. Three fly outs, one ground out and two straight strikeouts to finish off the eighth inning gave Mikolaicyk his first hitless and scoreless appearance of the season.
With one out and Zach Bailey on first base in the top of the ninth, lefty Jack Vandoran was called in to face the lefty Palmer, who ultimately got hit in the elbow. Bruggeman subsequently issued a walk to load the bases and Harrington put the game away with a grand slam into right field.
Hofstra’s record rises to 18-22 and they will stay in-state to play the Manhattan College Jaspers on Wednesday before having a critical weekend series against the University of North Carolina-Wilmington Seahawks as they try to stay in contention for the conference tournament. The first game of the conference series will be on Friday at 2 p.m. at University Field.
Photo courtesy of Rob Cuni
