Towson took the lead on two-run home runs by Jason Stifler and Greg Furmanek in the seventh inning and held off a late Pride rally to win game two of a Colonial Athletic Association series, 7-4, Saturday afternoon. With the victory Towson improves to 7-12 (2-6 CAA) while Hofstra falls to 6-14 (0-8 CAA).
Hofsra scored the first three runs of the game, scoring one in the third, fourth and fifth innings to take a 3-0 lead. Anthony Sarno worked a lead-off walk and advanced to second on a balk to set-up David Cole, who doubled to left to bring the run home. In the fourth, Matt Kougasian singled to start the inning, and advanced to third on a double by Tom Legregni. Sarno was intentionally walked to load the bases one out later. Tom Caltabiano drove home Kougasian with a sacrifice fly to center to increase the lead to 2-0. In the fifth inning, Mark Stuckless singled to left with one out and then stole second base. After Matt Prokopowicz worked a walk Kougasian drove Stuckless home with a single to left field, giving the Pride a 3-0 lead.
The Tigers came back to tie the game with three runs in the bottom of the fifth. Austin Harclerode singled and advanced to second on a throwing error to start the inning. Gary Helmick followed with a walk to put runners on first and second for Terry Gallo, who singled up the middle to plate Harclerode and advance Helmick to third. Brian Conley reached on a fielder's choice and scored Helmick. Towson tied the game, 3-3 with an unearned run. With runners on first and second, Steve Yarsinsky hit a groundball, and the Pride retired Nick Natoli at second in an attempted double play but were unable to get Yarsinsky at first. Conley, at second base before the play, advanced to third and attempted to score and an errant throw by Kougasian allowed him to do so, tying the game.
Towson scored four runs with two outs in the seventh to take the lead. Stifler homered to right field after a single by Yarinsky to go ahead by two, 5-3. Then, after Matt Collins was hit by a pitch, Greg Furmanek homered down the right field line to add two more runs, extending the lead to 7-3.
The Pride rallied in the ninth inning, loading the bases with one out, but only managed to score one run on a sacrifice fly to centerfield by Adam Perlo before Jon Dupski got the final out.
Sarno started on the mound for Hofstra, pitching five innings and allowing just two earned runs and striking out four. Rob DiFalco took the loss for the Pride in relief. Josh Squatrito picked up the victory, pitching 3.2 innings of relief work and striking out four.
The Pride conclude their series with Towson Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. at Schuerholz Park.
