The offense of the Hofstra baseball team came alive in their 16-8 road win over the Long Island University Blackbirds on Tuesday, May 12. Sean Flaherty led the charge with four RBIs and Vito Friscia added three hits. Steven Boscia got the start for the Pride, pitching four innings and earning a no decision.
The offense got going early and often, as Austin Pollack got hit by a pitch to start the game and subsequently stole second base during the next at-bat. However, the steal only changed how far Pollack would have to jog to get home, as he was immediately driven in by a Vito Friscia home run, his eighth of the season. The scoring continued, as Sean Flaherty drove in Austin Gauthier with a double. Flaherty also scored on a single by Tyler White, giving the Pride a 4-0 lead after the top of the first inning.
On the mound, Boscia struggled out of the gate, allowing the first four batters of the inning to reach. He got the fifth batter of the inning out on a double play, allowing the third run of the inning in the process. After getting out of the first, Boscia was solid, only allowing one more hit and not allowing a run for the rest of his outing. His only major struggle was his control, as he walked four batters. The walks ran up his pitch count as he only lasted four innings, one shy of being eligible to record the win. Jack Anderson came in in relief, allowing one run in four innings and earning the win.
Up 5-3 in the fourth inning, the Pride started to put the game out of reach. Pollack and Friscia both walked, putting a runner in scoring position for Rob Weissheier, who hit an RBI double. After Gauthier drove in Friscia with a sacrifice fly, Flaherty continued his great day, hitting a two-run home run, his first of the season. After putting up three more runs in the top of the fifth inning, they took a 12-3 lead, scoring seven runs over the course of two innings.
The Blackbirds started to show signs of life in the bottom of the seventh inning, putting up three runs. Fortunately for the Pride, they scored three runs of their own in the top of the seventh, maintaining a comfortable 15-7 lead, even after the Blackbirds rally.
Both teams scored a run in the eighth inning, leading to the final score of 16-8. Daniel Page made quick work of the Blackbirds in the bottom of the ninth inning, tossing a clean inning and only allowing a baserunner on a hit batsman
The Pride have one last non-conference game in the schedule, a home game against Sacred Heart University on Wednesday, May 8 at 3 p.m.
Image courtesy of Hofstra Athletics
