Hempstead, NY - Down 6-2 in the bottom of the eighth, Hofstra sent 12 batters to the plate and rallied for six runs to overcome a four-run deficit and take an 8-6 lead over VCU, then held on in the ninth to preserve the victory, 8-7, in the final game of the regular season Sunday afternoon. With the victory, Hofstra improves to 19-36 (7-23 CAA) while VCU drops to (15-28, 8-16 CAA).

Junior Chris Mentrasti started the rally for the Pride, ripping a lead-off double off the fence in left field. Junior Tom Legregni followed with a single and senior Felix Adamkiewicz worked a walk to load the bases. After a VCU pitching change, the first of four in the eighth inning, sophomore Elliot Hagburg hit a groundball to third base that was fielded by VCU third baseman Chris Jackson. Jackson touched third to force out Legregni then threw to first base in an attempt to throw out Hagburg, but the throw was wide and got past VCU first baseman Jared Bolden, putting Adamkiewicz on third and Hagburg on second. With sophomore Matt Prokopowicz at the plate, Adamkiewicz scored on a wild pitch, cutting the lead to 6-4, and Hagburg advanced to third. After Prokopowicz walked, sophomore John Kenny came on to pinch hit and smoked a single up the middle to plate Hagburg and bring the Pride within one run. Junior Nick Panzarella followed with a two-RBI double down the right field line to score both Prokopowicz and Kenny, putting Hofstra ahead 7-6. Seniors Anthony Sarno and Matt Kougasian worked walks to load the bases for Mentrasti. The second baseman also worked a walk to score Panzarella for the sixth run of the inning to up the lead to 8-6.

VCU rallied to score one run in the top of the ninth, but it was not enough as senior Brody Fontaine got Carlos Rodriguez to hit a fly ball to center with the tying run on first that Panzarella tracked down for the final out.

The Rams took an early 2-0 lead in the first when R.J. Schenk singled to right to score M.L. Morgan and Richard Gonzalez. Michael Cheatham upped the lead to 4-0 with a two-out, two-RBI double to center in the fourth.

After being held scoreless for the first five innings, the Pride scratched across a run in the sixth when Hagburg hit a sacrifice fly to score Legregni to make the score 4-1. VCU got the run back in the top of the seventh when Schenk drove home Morgan with a sacrifice fly of his own.

Sarno brought the Pride back within three, 5-2, with a solo home run in the home half of the seventh, a no-doubt blast over the scoreboard in right field. The Rams got that run back in the eighth on a throwing error that allowed Nate Furry to score, upping the lead to 6-2.

However the Rams could not distance themselves enough as the Pride offense erupted in the eighth to take the lead. The come-from-behind victory was Hofstra's third in four weekends. The Pride also rallied to defeat Old Dominion, 8-7, on Saturday, April 19 and again the following weekend, defeating Georgia State, 7-6, on April 26.

Fontaine picked up the victory, his team-leading sixth of the season, for Hofstra while Robbie Andrews took the loss for VCU.Junior Bobby Neelon started on the mound for the Pride, pitching 6.0 innings while allowing five runs and striking out six. Michael Graham started for VCU and pitched 7.0 innings and allowing just two runs. Neither starter figured in the decision.

Hofstra finishes the season 19-36 (7-23 CAA), just one win shy of its fourth consecutive 20-win season.

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