Hofstra baseball opens conference schedule with 6-2 win over Elon

The Hofstra Pride baseball team opened its Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) schedule with a win over Elon University on Friday, March 25, defeating the Phoenix by a final score of 6-2 at Latham Park.

With the win, Hofstra is now 9-7 overall this season with a 1-0 CAA record. Elon is 11-10 with an 0-1 record in CAA play. The Pride is now 6-10 all-time against Elon, as well as 9-11 overall in CAA openers.

Mark Faello was given his second winning decision of the season, improving his season record to 2-1. Elon starter Joe Savino was credited with the loss, his second of the year.

Elon scored first in the bottom of the second inning on a single by Carlos Marte, putting the Phoenix up 1-0. Elon kept that lead until the top of the fifth, when Santino Rosso hit a two-run single that scored both Ryan Morash and Anthony D’Onofrio, giving the Pride a 2-1 lead. 

That lead didn’t last for long, though, as the Phoenix struck right back and tied the game at two on a sacrifice fly by Alex Iadisernia.

Hofstra retook the lead in the top of the sixth on two RBI singles, the first by Kevin Bruggeman and the second by Rosso, his second RBI single of the day, making the score 4-2.

The Pride capped off the game in the top of the ninth as two runs came in to score on an errant throw off a Frankie DiMartino single. Both runs were unearned for Elon pitcher Trevor Kirk.

Faello went 6.2 innings, giving up six hits, while walking two, striking out two and giving up two runs with only one being earned. Faello was relieved by Aljo Sujak who threw 1.1 scoreless innings. Michael O’Hanlon closed out the game by slamming the door on the Phoenix in the bottom of the ninth for Hofstra.

Rosso led the way for the Pride offensively, going 2-5 with three RBIs. D’Onofrio, Bruggeman and Jake Liberatore all had multiple hits in the game as well. D’Onofrio extended his hitting streak to five games.

The Pride got 14 total hits in the game, marking the third time in the last five games that the team has had 10 or more hits.

The Phoenix were led by Charlie Grantell, who had three hits, while Iadisernia and Luke Stephenson also had two hits of their own.

Game 2 of the series will be on Saturday, March 26, with first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m.