Saturday’s contest between the Hofstra Pride and Stony Brook Seawolves proved to be a slugfest as the two squads combined for four home runs and 10 extra-base hits in a 10-8 victory for the Pride. The Pride tied the rivalry series at one game apiece with the win, while also improving their overall record to 9-16 on the season and 4-7 in Colonial Athletic Association play.
“I thought we swung the bats really well,” said Hofstra head coach Frank Catalanotto. “It was nice to see the guys come out inning after inning, put together some great at bats, and score a bunch of runs.”
After going hitless in Friday’s contest with a trio of strikeouts, senior catcher Kevin Bruggeman punctuated Saturday’s victory with a four-hit performance that included three runs batted in and his ninth home run of the season. Bruggeman also put together a masterful afternoon behind the plate, allowing zero passed balls and limiting a Stony Brook team with 50 stolen bases on the season to just one in the game.
“I mean that’s baseball,” Bruggeman said. “Yesterday I didn’t have it, and today I had it. I was just glad I could help my team win today.”
The trio of Will Kennedy, Brian Morrell and Steve Harrington helped propel the Hofstra offense with a combined five-hit afternoon. The middle of the order ultimately put the game out of reach in the bottom of the sixth inning with a two out, four run rally that included four consecutive hits from Kennedy, Bruggeman, Morrell and Santino Rosso.
“Today I felt like our guys were even more locked in,” Catalanotto said. “We didn’t miss the mistake pitches, we were on top of whatever their guy threw out there.”
On the mound, junior righthander Tristian Nemjo made his first start of the season after seven appearances in relief and thrived with six strikeouts across four innings on a season-high 74 pitches. Nemjo wasn’t the only Hofstra pitcher to excel in unfamiliar territory, as Mark Faello picked up the win in his second appearance out of the bullpen. As a whole, Hofstra pitchers allowed just three walks in the contest after issuing 11 free passes in their two most recent losses. “I saw a lot of confidence, they wanted to win,” said Bruggeman. “We wanted to win this game so bad today and it showed in the way we played defense.”
After evening the series at one, the Pride now turn their attention to Sunday’s rubber match against the Seawolves at 1 p.m. Brad Camarda will get the ball for the Pride, while freshman righthander Eddie Smink is expected to take the mound for Stony Brook.
Photo courtesy of Rob Cuni/Hofstra Athletics
