By Ashley Melfi, Staff Writer
The Hofstra Pride baseball team headed south this past weekend for its 2011 season opener against Florida Atlantic University. The Pride finished last season 20-28-1 and looked to the series against the Owls as a chance to start its season on a strong note.
The Pride lost all three games, 12-4, 10-5 and 8-4. "Some mistakes in the outfield, some ground balls, some first and third situations...it hurt us where each was a close game but then [games] got unwinnable, we couldn't get over the hump," Hofstra head coach Patrick Anderson said of the losses.
Despite an early 2-0 lead in game one on Friday, the Pride lost 12-4. Sophomore starting pitcher David D'Errico let up eight hits and four runs in five innings. The Pride started strong and held a 4-4 tie until the sixth inning when FAU right fielder Andy Mee hit a homerun, creating a two-run gap that would grow even larger.
"Our kids offensively did a real good job at bat," said Anderson. Junior outfielder Danny Poma and freshman outfielder Bryan Verbitsky provided much of the Hofstra offense. Poma went 4-5 with an RBI, a run and a stolen base. Verbitsky went 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run.
In game two, sophomore starting pitcher Jared Rogers let up five runs over his five innings, but only two were earned.
"He scuffled a little bit in the first inning but he didn't let it get to him," said Anderson. Three defensive errors during Rogers' time on the mound led to the three unearned runs. Anderson attributed the errors to "just a lack of concentration defensively."
Offensively, the Pride was strong; scoring two runs in both the second and third innings. Junior infielder Joe Perez went 4-5, scoring two runs and sophomore first baseman Jared Hammer went 3 for 4 with one run and two RBIs.
The Pride tied the score, 5-5, in the top of the sixth inning only to have FAU score five runs in the bottom of the seventh off four different Hofstra pitchers. The Pride couldn't come back from the five-run deficit and lost 10-5.
On Sunday, the Pride went back and forth with the Owls only to lose 8-4. Fifth year senior starting pitcher Rob Kumbatovic held off the Owls, only allowing the first run in the third inning. In the top of the fourth, freshman infielder Logan Davis singled to center field, scoring two runs for the Pride. The Owls then answered back with three runs in the bottom of that same inning. Freshman catcher Matt Reistetter scored one more in the fifth closing the gap to 4-3. The Owls scored two runs in both the sixth and seventh innings and Hofstra could not catch up.
"Nobody wants to lose ball games," said Anderson. "[FAU was] an experience. We're just trying to get the [team] ready for conference play and this season I think we're going to see some positive things."
The Pride currently sits at 0-3 and will return to Florida this upcoming weekend to face no. 10 Florida State University.