By Jeffrey Werner -- STAFF WRITER Hofstra baseball has found the winning momentum that has eluded it in first part of the season. The Pride’s 14-8 victory over the Black Knights of Army extended its winning streak to four games.
Freshmen pitcher Andrew Mundy was given the start on the mound for Hofstra, but it wasn’t an ideal start for him. He gave up three runs and four hits in the first inning. He was only in the game for two innings before he was pulled.
Hofstra responded to Army’s three runs with three runs of its own on one swing. With two runners on base, sophomore left fielder Mat Annunziata drove the ball over the left field fence to tie the game at 3. The home run was Annunziata’s first of the season and the Pride’s first of two during the game.
Head coach John Russo decided to put freshmen pitcher John Rooney on the mound in the third inning. Rooney fared better than his teammate, posting three scoreless innings against the Black Knights with three strikeouts and no hits. He was credited with the win.
While Rooney held Army’s offense in check, Hofstra scored six runs in two innings. Vito Friscia singled up the middle and drove in a run in the fifth to give the Pride their first lead of the game, 4-3.
In the sixth, the Pride offense exploded five runs, getting contributions from Teddy Cillis, Tom Archer, and Brad Witkowski. The biggest scoring contribution came from Annunziata, who drove in two runs to increase his RBI total to five.
With the Black Knights getting to within two runs going into the ninth at 9-7, the Pride dug deep to find that offensive momentum that it had in the sixth. Friscia and Annunziata added one more RBI to each of their stats, but a three-run homer by Nick Bottari sealed the victory for the Pride.