By PJ Potter - ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR The Hofstra baseball team was unable to avoid the sweep against the Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens Sunday at University Field, falling 8-4 in the series finale.
“You have to tip your cap to Delaware, they swept the weekend,” Hofstra head coach John Russo said.
Nick Tierno reached base five times in the game for Delaware, hitting 4-for-4 with a double and three runs scored.
The Blue Hens (21-11) jumped ahead 2-0 in the top of the second inning with a solo home run by Nick Patten and a wild pitch by John Rooney to score Jeremy Ake. Patten now has eight home runs this season, which is good for the top five most blasts in the CAA.
Hofstra (8-24) answered back in bottom half of the fourth inning with two runs to match Delaware’s score. Brad Witkowski spoiled Brandon Walter’s no-hitter with a double drilled into the right center field gap, scoring Kevin O’Connor, who reached on a walk.
Witkowski came all the way around to cross home plate on an error by Brian Mayer, Delaware’s catcher.
Diaz Nardo made it a 3-2 ballgame in the top of the fifth on a sacrifice fly RBI.
An inning later, David Leiderman, who entered the game 0-for-7 in the series, launched his second home run of the year over the left center field fence, tying it all up at three.
The score remained the same until the seventh inning, when leftfielder Jordan Glover stepped into the batter’s box. Glover, who now has 16 doubles this season, roped a RBI two-bagger over the head of Steven Foster in centerfield.
Glover then crossed home plate on a wild pitch to cap a two run inning for Delaware.
It was David Leiderman who rose to the occasion again for Hofstra, this time a double off the 30-foot fence in left center field to score Vito Friscia in the eighth inning to close Delaware’s lead to 5-4.
Teddy Cillis was called upon for Hofstra to toss the ninth inning.
The Delaware hitters were locked in on Cillis, smacking three doubles in the inning, which amassed three runs, blowing the game open to 8-4.
Delaware’s Nick Spadafino picked up the win, improving to 3-2 this season. Spadafino went 1.1 innings and surrendered one run.
For Hofstra, Chris Bonk received the loss, falling to 1-3 after allowing two runs in 1.2 innings.
John Rooney started for the Pride, his first conference start of his career.
“John Rooney is a competitor and I think every time he gets out there he gains experience,” Coach Russo said. “I think Rooney’s future is really bright.”
The left-handed freshman let up three runs in 5.1 innings of work, striking out four batters.
Brandon Walter opposed Rooney, fanning nine batters over 5.2 innings, scattering three runs on two hits and five walks.
Hofstra dropped to last place in the CAA with a 1-7 record. They return to action Tuesday, April 12 at home against NYIT, beginning at 3 p.m.