The Hofstra baseball team lost to the St. John’s University Red Storm 9-7 at Jack Kaiser Stadium in Queens, New York, on Tuesday, March 22, dropping its record to 8-7 so far this season.
After Hofstra went down in order in the top of the first inning, David Glancy homered off Hofstra starter Michael O’Hanlon in the bottom half to give St. John’s an early 1-0 lead. This was only the beginning for Glancy. He took O’Hanlon deep again in the bottom of the third to make it a 2-0 game.
After the home run, O’Hanlon allowed one more run in the inning after Kevin Michaels singled home Tate Ballestero, who had doubled before stealing third base. Despite striking out the next hitter, Hofstra coach Frank Catalanotto decided to pull O’Hanlon with two outs in the third and brought in Aljo Sujak.
Down 3-0, Hofstra began to fight back when Anthony D’Onofrio singled off of St. John’s starter Brandon Backman and brought home Brian Morell, which got Hofstra on the board. Unfortunately, that was all the scoring the Pride did that inning, as D’Onofrio was caught trying to steal second to end the inning. Backman finished his day allowing one run on three hits over four innings.
Sujak allowed just one unearned run on a lone hit in three innings of work. Down 4-1 in the top of the sixth inning, Steve Harrington stepped up to the plate for Hofstra with the bases loaded and two outs. Harrington doubled in two runs to cut the deficit to 4-3. Ryan Morash followed up with a double of his own to give Hofstra the lead, 5-4.
Hofstra tacked on another run in the top of the seventh to make it 6-4. However, Glancy wasn’t finished just yet for St. John’s, as he went yard off Chris Keenan to make it 6-5. It was Glancy’s third homer of the game, doubling the total he came into the game with. Hofstra grabbed an insurance run in top of the eighth when Harrington reached home on a fielder’s choice that plated D’Onofrio, making the score 7-5 entering the bottom of the eighth.
The wheels quickly fell apart for Hofstra as Keenan loaded the bases before walking in a run. This prompted a pitching change as Steven Kaenzig came on with two outs in the bottom of the eighth. He walked the next two batters as St. John’s retook the lead, 8-7. Garrett Sullivan cleaned up the mess for the Pride, but St. John’s scored once more, making the score 9-7. All the runs in the inning were charged to Keenan.
Hofstra attempted to come back in the top of the ninth after they loaded the bases with two walks and a single. However, those runners never reached home plate as D’Onofrio struck out and Luke Napolitano flew out to right to end the ball game.
Hofstra will look to rebound in its Colonial Athletic Association opener on the road against Elon University on Friday, March 25.
Photo courtesy of Joe Buvid Photography/Hofstra Athletics
