Game One By Elliot Rubin -- STAFF WRITER
The Pride saw its three-game winning streak snap Saturday, getting shut out 2-0 by the Longwood Lancers.
A game that lasted only a little more than two hours didn’t see a score until the final three innings. In fact, both of Longwood’s runs came in the 7th inning when pinch hitter James Barry reached on an error, allowing Connor Bastaich and Drew Kitson to score.
The Pride recorded seven hits on the game, as Mat Annuziata and designated hitter Nick Bottari each went 2-for-4. Steven Foster and David Leiderman went 1-for-4 and Teddy Cillis went 1-for-3. As a team, Hofstra left six runners on base, and struck out three times.
The Lancers recorded six hits on the game, though no player had a multi-hit game. Shortstop Michael Osinski recorded his first double of the season, and DH Alex Lewis registered his first steal of the year. Longwood left seven runners stranded, struck out five times, and walked four times.
Hofstra starter Alec Eisenberg (1-3) went seven innings, yielding two runs, four hits, four walks, four strikeouts, and one hit batsman. In 23 at-bats against him, Eisenberg induced four fly outs and nine groundouts. Andrew Mundy came on in relief for the 8th, allowing two hits and a strikeout in a scoreless frame.
For the Lancers, starter Travis Burnette went the first seven and 2/3, giving up six hits, while striking out two, and hitting a batter. Burnette induced 12 fly outs and eight groundouts in the 29 at-bats against him, en route to his second win of the season (2-1). Sean Pico came for the four out save, allowing one hit and striking out one.
Defensively, Hofstra shortstop Brad Witkowski had two errors, and Eisenberg had one. Osinski had the only error for Longwood.
With the loss, Hofstra dropped to four games below .500 on the season (4-8), and the team looks to even the score in the series with the second game of the double header this afternoon.
Game Two
By Steven Wolff -- STAFF WRITER
The Hofstra baseball team fell in extra innings to the Longwood Lancers on the road Saturday in the second game of a doubleheader, by a final score of 4-3.
The Pride would get on the board first, as freshman Nick Bottari scored on a wild pitch in the second inning. The game would remain scoreless until the 6th inning where the Lancers would finally strike. First baseman Connor Bastaich launched a three-run double to put Longwood up by two.
However, Hofstra would retaliate in the next inning as Steven Foster doubled down the left field line to bring in a run. This was one of Foster’s three hits on the day.
With the Lancers up 3-2 in the ninth, Hofstra third baseman David Leiderman would knock a single through the left side to bring in Foster, and send the game to extra innings. However, in the 12th inning, Colton Konvicka launched a solo homer to win the game for the Lancers.
Starting pitcher Chris Weiss pitched four and two-thirds solid innings for Hofstra as he gave up just one hit and one walk, and recorded four strikeouts. However, in relief Dave Jesch gave up three runs in two and a third innings. Adam Heidenfelder, pitched the last four and a third innings in relief, striking out seven, but giving up the game winning homerun in the 12th. He was the losing pitcher, falling to 0-2 on the season.
Foster, who had three hits on the day, raised his average to .275 on the year. Leiderman and Chris Hardardt each had two hits on the day, adding to the Pride’s eight total hits on the night. For the Lancers, relief pitcher Michael Catlin got the win, pitching three scoreless innings. Pride starting pitcher Chris Weiss lowered his season ERA to 5.09 with his four and two-thirds scoreless innings.
The Pride has had trouble scoring runs in these last two contests, combining for just three total. In the four wins for Hofstra this year, the team has had at least eleven hits.
The 4-3 loss caps the Pride’s 0-2 doubleheader, dropping its overall record to 4-9. Longwood improved to 9-6.
Hofstra will look to erase a two-game losing streak when it takes on Longwood again on Sunday at eleven.