Offensive explosions by the University of Georgia in the third, fifth and ninth innings ended the Hofstra University baseball team’s season in a 24-1 loss in their first-ever NCAA bid. Liam Sullivan is credited with the win, bringing his record up to 4-3, and Mark Faello is credited with the loss, bringing his record to 7-4.
The first two innings consisted of the teams trading strikeouts, but the Bulldogs got their bats to work sooner rather than later in the third inning. Chaney Rogers got the offense started when he was walked, and he was brought in to score by a home run issued by Joshua McAllister. Ben Anderson doubled the lead with a home run of his own, only to be shown up by Connor Tate as he brought in Corey Acton and Cole Tate with his own homer, bringing the score up to 5-0. After that, it was a string of repeated singles and doubles that got the entire lineup to cross the home plate. The Bulldogs made sure to leave as much damage as possible, getting 13 runs off eight hits, all while leaving the Pride scoreless in their response at the bottom of the third.
“When that third inning hits, you have other thoughts,” said Hofstra head coach Frank Catalanotto. “You try to keep telling the guys, ‘Play with some pride, keep scratching and clawing, and don’t give up.’”
The fourth inning yielded nothing from both teams, so Georgia was eager to get to work again in the fifth inning. Anderson, the first batter of the fifth, received a walk from Hofstra reliever Michael O’Hanlon, who was brought in on Acton’s homer. Cole Tate singled to center field and then advanced to second base when Connor Tate got a four-pitch walk. Parks Harber used this opportunity to send the ball way out of the park, becoming the second person to score a three-run home run, leaving the Pride to trail 18-0.
Compared to the high-scoring inning, the Bulldogs pumped the breaks on their attack in the sixth, settling for a single home run by Cole Wagner which also brought in Dwight Allen, who was issued a four-pitch walk by reliever Mike Mirando earlier in the inning, bringing the score up to 20.
The Pride was eager to prove that they are not a team that gives up easily. The lone scorer of the day, Santino Rosso, singled after two strikes. He got the chance to cross the home plate when Ryan Morash doubled to left-center field, showing that he wasn’t going down without a fight on the diamond.
The Bulldogs were ready to answer the Pride in the top of the eighth inning when Garrett Spikes’ infield fly brought in McAllister, already in scoring position at third base. All three batters for the Pride either grounded out or flew out, launching the game into the ninth inning at record timing.
Shane Marshall walked after he was hit by a pitch, and after Luke Wagner singled to center field, Marshall had the chance to steal second base. McAllister delivered one final home run, his second of the day, to score three runs in the top of the ninth, capping the score at 24-1.
The Pride had one last hope to tighten the scoring gap when Ben Harris reached third base on an error but was left stranded there as Zach Bailey struck out swinging, signaling the end of the ballgame.
Coach Catalanotto expressed how grateful he was for the season they had, as well as what he learned from making it to the regional round of the NCAA tournament.
“The [Colonial Athletic Association] tournament was great … and to win that gave us a lot of confidence,” Catalanotto said. “Coming down here shows that we have a lot of work to do, and I’m excited for the future.”
Photo Courtesy of Hofstra Athletics
