The Hofstra baseball team picked up their first win of the season in walk-off fashion by a score of 6-5 over the University of Albany Great Danes on Thursday, Feb. 23, at University Field in Hempstead, NY. With the bases loaded, Steve Harrington hit a sharp grounder that the first baseman did not handle cleanly which let Kevin Bruggeman cross the plate just before the throw got there.
The rally started down 5-4 in the bottom of the ninth inning with a pinch hit single from Anthony D’Onofrio on the first pitch he saw. Dylan Palmer came in to run for D’Onofrio as Ryan Morash followed with a line drive single into center field and a successful double steal then set up runners at second and third base with no outs. Bruggeman followed by swinging on a 3-0 count and hitting a ground ball that went up the middle scoring Palmer and tying the game. The Great Danes decided to intentionally walk Will Kennedy and pitch to Brian Morrell, who hit the ball back to the pitcher Owen Birkman who threw it to the catcher for the force out. This set the stage for Harrington, who had multiple walk-off hits last year, and he delivered once again.
The Pride had nine walk-off wins last year so their first win of the 2023 season being a walk-off was no surprise to the Hofstra head coach.
“I have confidence in my team,” said Hofstra Coach Frank Catalanotto following the game. “When the game got to 5-4 I knew that we were going to give them a good finish. It was nice to see and like I said you can never count these guys out so happy to get the win today.”
Jake Liberatore continued his strong start to the season, going 3-4 with a two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth to get the Pride within one. He is now batting .500 through four games and has only struck out twice.
“He’s a hitter,” said Catalanotto. “He’s going to find a way to get on base. He doesn’t strike out, he walks a lot and he always gives us good at bats so today was another example of that. He seems to always be in the middle of it and he’s been a huge contributor not only last year but thus far in this season.”
Mark Faello started on the mound for Hofstra and pitched six innings, giving up three runs, one unearned, on five hits while striking out six. He was relieved by Michael O’Hanlon in the seventh inning who struggled. O’Hanlon gave up two runs on three hits and a strikeout that was negated by a wild pitch which also scored one.
Tristan Nemjo came into the game in the eighth and gave the Pride exactly what they needed: two perfect innings. He struck out two in his first inning of relief and got the third to ground out while in the top of the ninth he retired two on ground balls and got the third to pop out to first.
Hofstra will play Albany two more times before going on a lengthy road trip starting with a four-game series against the University of Nevada, Reno on Friday, March 3.
Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics
