Baseball finds first series win in thrilling finale

In a thrilling finish, the Hofstra University baseball team secured a dramatic 12-11 victory over Campbell University on Sunday, April 21, with a walk-off hit in extra innings. This crucial win marks their first series victory in Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) play and increases the Pride’s record to 5-10. 

Hofstra was able to get out of the top of the 10th inning with only one conceded run, once again putting all the pressure on the offense to win this game. This one-run lead did not scare the offense as Dylan Palmer smacked a double down the right field line, tying this game in the bottom of the 10th. Santino Rosso flew out to shallow center field and Palmer's speed propelled him home, sealing the walk-off victory and completing the remarkable five-run comeback.

"The morale is high. I think we needed this,” said Hofstra head coach Frank Catalanotto. “The guys really wanted to play hard and win this series. We needed this big time if we’re gonna have a chance to sneak into the playoffs, so the morale is really high right now."

Right from the start, the Pride’s starting pitcher Tanner Sanderoff opened with three up and three down in the first inning. His stellar pitching would continue in the second inning, not giving up a hit. Along with the strong start from Sanderoff, the bats came out swinging, scoring two early runs in the first inning.

Unfortunately for Hofstra, Sanderoff found himself in a grueling third inning. A huge issue for the Pride all season has been pitching; on average, Hofstra gives up 7.7 runs per game. This issue continued with Sanderoff surrendering six runs in the third. Despite allowing only three hits in the inning, a three-run homer by Reed Stallman put Campbell up 6-2.

 "It’s funny, the first two innings [Sanderoff] looked unhittable,” Catalanotto said. "He was filling up the strike zone, his breaking ball was good and his fastball looked like it had some ride on it. And then it just seemed like he kinda hit a roadblock and couldn't locate his pitches … to me, it looked like he might have been a little tired."

The Pride's pitching struggles persisted as senior pitcher Steven Kaenzig came in during the fourth inning and had a quick outing for Hofstra. He was only able to pitch two-thirds of the inning, giving up three hits and three runs and leaving the Pride in a 9-3 hole.

Despite the pitching staff giving up three runs in the fourth, Hofstra's bats would come alive and start chipping away at the lead, salvaging some of the fourth. Matt Pelcher ignited a scoring flurry for the Pride with a single to left field, driving Joseph Mennella to home. Hofstra added another run when Palmer delivered a single to left field.

The sixth inning was where the heroic comeback was born. Although Hofstra gave up another run in the inning before, it didn’t faze the offense. With runners on first and second, the Pride had a golden opportunity to make a significant dent in the five-run deficit. Rosso rose to the occasion and crushed a three-run homer, slashing the lead to just two runs.

Entering the bottom of the ninth inning, Hofstra's pitching staff effectively kept Campbell in check, allowing no runs and giving the offense a chance to pull off their improbable comeback. Steve Harrington took his turn at the plate and launched his 18th homer of the year out of the ballpark, narrowing the Pride's deficit to just one run. With the game hanging in the balance, Will Kennedy delivered a clutch base hit to left field, allowing the tying run to score and extending the game into extra innings.

This was Hofstra's first CAA series win all season long, keeping the Pride’s playoff hopes alive.

The Pride will take on the New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark, New Jersey, on April 23, at 7 p.m. 

Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics/Rob Cuni