Timely hitting and dominant pitching came together for the Hofstra Pride baseball team on Sunday afternoon, as the Pride cruised to a 13-0 win and secured a much-needed series sweep over the Towson University Tigers at University Field. The Pride evened their CAA (Colonial Athletic Association) record at 9-9 on the season, and now stand 1.5 games back of the final spot in the conference tournament with 12 games left to play.
“We needed to sweep this team, we did what we had to do,” said Hofstra head coach Frank Catalanotto. “We’re starting to get back to the way we looked last year, and I think we’re starting to feel really comfortable.”
Brad Camarda was undoubtedly the story of the day for Hofstra, hurling a complete game shutout on just 103 pitches. Camarda surrendered just four hits and totaled six strikeouts throughout the afternoon while walking just one hitter. After securing his fourth consecutive win on the mound, Camarda is beginning to look like the ace that spearheaded Hofstra’s championship run last season.
“I’m starting to locate the fastball really well, and everything else is just playing off of that,” Camarda said. “These guys make plays every time I pitch, I know they have my back.”
Third baseman Ryan Morash was at the heart of Hofstra’s 13-run explosion on offense, using a 3-for-4 effort to drive in five runs. Morash clubbed his first home run of the season with a solo shot in the fifth inning and has used a recent hot streak to bring his batting average up to .277 after a slow start to the year at the plate. Fellow infielders Zach Bailey and Michael Florides also contributed heavily to the outburst, combining to drive in five runs on three hits in the win.
“He’s [Morash] always plugging away, and he’s been swinging the bat well all year,” Catalanotto said. “With the way he’s swinging the bat lately, I can see him going on a big hot streak to close out the year.”
Between the efforts of Camarda, Morash, and various other veteran leaders, Hofstra’s experienced core has begun to shake the rust off and come into its own as the season progresses. After winning five straight games and six of their last eight in conference play, the Hofstra locker room feels ready for a breakthrough.
“The swagger is back,” Camarda said. “Everyone is really composed, feeling really confident, and we’re ready to keep rolling.”
After midweek matchups with Fairfield University and Iona University on Tuesday and Wednesday, the Pride will travel up to Boston to continue a crucial stretch of their conference schedule with a weekend series against the Northeastern University Huskies. As they currently stand on the outside looking in, the Pride have reached a precarious point in their season where every single moment means more.
“We just need to keep battling,” Catalanotto said. “This is a team of fighters and a team of guys that don’t quit.”
Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics/Evan Bernstein
