Hofstra baseball extended its win streak to seven games Saturday at the UMBC Tournament. In the first game, the Pride faced Mount St. Mary’s University (MD) and won 11-0 on a combined no-hitter. In the second game, Hofstra University defeated the University of Maryland Baltimore County and came out on top 9-6.
John Rooney took the mound for the Pride in the first contest. He threw six complete innings, striking out eight batters and walking four. Rooney did not allow a hit or run while facing 20 batters, which increases his scoreless inning to total to 20 this season.
Seamus Brazill closed out the final three innings without a hit allowed, marking the second time this season and all time Hofstra has thrown a hitless game.
Hofstra first got on the board in the bottom on the second inning when Mikey Riesner doubled down the left field line, scoring Teddy Cillis.
Then in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Pride’s bats came to life. Austin Gauthier singled to shortstop allowing Steven Foster to advance to second, while Matt Siedem advanced to third.
With the bases loaded, Vito Friscia was up next. Coming into the battle with a .400 batting average, Friscia singled to left field and Gauthier advanced to second with both Foster and Siedem scoring.
Cillis then homered to center field, scoring Friscia and Gauthier.
Rob Weissheier homered down the left field line, making the score 7-0 to end the inning.
Hofstra’s bats came alive again in the bottom of the seventh. Daniel Page homered to left center scoring Riesner.
In the eighth inning, Cillis hit a sacrifice fly to right field. Riesner singled through the left side to finalize the score 11-0.
In the second game against UMBC, Matt Weissheier started the game on the mound for Hofstra.
Weissheier pitched four innings and surrendered five hits, five earned runs, one unearned run, one walk and two strikeouts while facing 19 batters.
In the top of the first inning, Vito Friscia came up big again for the Pride, homering to center field and Foster scored. The Pride ended the first inning up two runs.
Then, in second inning, Hofstra’s bats remained on fire. Foster singled to left field and then advanced to second on the throw. Vinnie Costello advanced to third and Parker Quinn scored.
Austin Gauthier hit a three-run homerun. Hofstra ended the second inning leading 6-0.
In the top of the fourth inning the Pride added a few more insurance runs. Mikey Riesner singled to left field and advanced to second on a fielding error by the left fielder. Cillis and Friscia both scored on the play. Riesner crossed home on the following play on a single to center field from Rob Weissheier. The Pride jumped out to a 9-0 lead.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, UMBC came back strong against the Pride, scoring all six of their runs in this inning.
The Pride would hold on to the win.
Zach Altieri got the win and improved to 2-0 in two shutout innings out of the bullpen. Chris Weiss got his second save of the season.
Hofstra returns to action tomorrow at noon for the final game of the tournament.
