Hofstra baseball opened its 2018 season with a doubleheader at Lamar University, falling in both games 2-1 and 3-0 in Beaumont, TX.
Both starting pitchers for the Pride, John Rooney and Matt Weissheier, kept each contest tight early on.
Rooney was handed the ball in the first game, tossing six scoreless innings with five strikeouts and five hits allowed.
The left-hander evaded a nerve-racking sixth inning. After retiring the first two batters of the frame, Rooney loaded the bases on two singles and a walk. The following hitter, Rooney managed to get him to line out to third base.
Hofstra scored first, coming in the second inning on an error by Lamar’s pitcher Jace Campbell, which allowed Teddy Cillis to cross home plate.
The Cardinals were held without a run until the seventh when Cole Coker and Cole Secrest smacked back-to-back RBI base hits off Chris Weiss.
Weiss ended up with the loss, going the final two innings with two strikeouts.
Kristjan Storrie picked up the win out of the bullpen in just one inning of work with three punch-outs. Tanner Driskill completed the save, pitching two perfect innings.
Campbell struck out eight over six innings without an earned run, allowing just one hit.
Steven Foster and Mikey Riesner had the only two hits for the Pride in the matchup.
In the second game, Matt Weissheier held his own on the mound in 5.1 innings. Weissheier, a redshirt senior, made his fifth career start and fanned two hitters with one earned run. He, however, was given the loss.
Lamar broke the score in the sixth inning on a RBI double off the bat of Coker, who also drove in the other runner in the eighth on a fielder’s choice.
The Cardinals topped off that inning scoring on a wild pitch from Teddy Cillis. Cillis threw 2.2 innings, allowing three hits, two runs and one walk.
Noah Sills and Ryan Erickson combined for 10 strikeouts for Lamar. Sills improved to 2-0, battling 2.2 shutout innings with six strikeouts. Erickson tossed the final 10 outs, allowing just one baserunner via base on balls.
Vito Friscia and Parker Quinn each logged two hits out of the three and four spots of the lineup, respectively. Riesner had the other hit for the Pride.
Hofstra returns to action for another doubleheader Saturday against Lamar.
