The Hofstra Pride baseball team opened the season with a humiliating 13-0 loss against the Florida Gulf Coast University Eagles on Friday, Feb. 17. Hofstra totaled just four hits in a game that lasted 6.5 innings due to a 10-run mercy rule.
The game fell apart for the Pride in the bottom of the sixth, where pitchers Ryan Rue and Jake DesLauriers combined to give up nine runs, one unearned. Rue was starting his second inning of relief work and immediately showed signs of wear, as he walked two batters, hit one, and threw a wild pitch before getting one out. After head coach Frank Catalanotto elected to intentionally walk the next batter to put a runner on first, second baseman Santino Rosso had a softly hit ball go through his legs to contribute to an already nightmarish inning. And it did not end there, as Rue walked in another run and allowed a two-run single before exiting the game.
In came DesLauriers and out went the ball as Edrick Felix greeted him with a three-run shot that went far over the left field fence, making it a 12-0 ballgame. Two batters later, Jacob Lojewski sent one over the fence, putting salt in the wound. That ended up being the last run scored in the inning.
Graduate student Mark Faello got the start for the Pride and allowed four runs on seven hits with three walks and three strikeouts. This is his fifth year with Hofstra and had a career-low 5.15 ERA in 14 starts last year.
Jason Woodward started for the Eagles and pitched six innings, allowing no runs and only two hits while striking out five. Both hits came in the top of the third where Michael Florides and Ryan Morash singled with one out. Nothing else came of it as Kevin Bruggeman hit into a double play to end the inning.
Dawson Place pitched the seventh inning for Florida Gulf Coast and also gave up two hits but no runs crossed the plate. Brian Morrell and Steve Harrington led off the inning with singles but Rosso hit a line drive right at the first baseman who stepped on first to double up Hofstra. Zach Bailey then flew out to the right field to end the game and confirm the seven-inning shutout.
This was also Rue’s fifth year on Long Island, but it was his first appearance since 2021 due to missing all of last season with an injury. He had as low as a 3.91 ERA back in 2020 and now has a career 5.72 ERA over 27 appearances.
DesLauriers, a freshman out of Eastport, NY made his first career appearance and did pick up a strikeout in 0.2 innings pitched, although he also gave up two home runs.
The two teams will meet three more times including a doubleheader starting tomorrow at 11 a.m. before the Pride return to Hempstead and play the University of Albany in a three-game series starting Friday, Feb. 24.
Photo Courtesy of Hofstra Athletics/Adam Koszo
