Old Westbury, NY -- Hofstra rallied for a three-run eighth before New York Tech scored once in the eighth and won in the ninth inning via a pinch-hit single to center that brought home Eric Cos as the Pride lost, 6-5, to the Bears in a Wednesday afternoon matinee at President's Field.

Cos led off the ninth with a double and scored on a bang-bang play at the plate. Steve McNamara's pinch-hit single set up a dramatic game-ending play. Centerfielder John Kenny grabbed the ball and fired a strong throw to home plate that catcher Elliot Hagburg grabbed. But the tag was just late, allowing New York Tech to salvage the win.

Adam Perlo went 3-3 with two runs batted in while senior left-hander Nick Panzarella provided three scoreless innings in relief, though the Pride still saw its losing streak extend to seven in falling to 6-28. New York Tech swept the season home-and-home series, improving to 13-22.

Senior Tom Legregni's RBI single broke a 4-all tie in the eighth, handing Hofstra its first lead of the contest. That advantage would be short-lived, as New York Tech rallied with a leadoff walk and consecutive singles to load the bases against sophomore Jeff Guthridge to start the eighth.

Guthridge got the bounce he wanted, inducing Christian Dienna to ground into a 4-6-3 double play. New York Tech still saw the tying run come in on the twin-killing, knotting the score at 5. Guthridge minimized the damage, forcing a groundout to first to end the eighth.

The Bears would salvage the victory in its last at-bat. Cos lifted a double off the leftfield wall to start the ninth, bringing in the Hofstra defense to cut off the bunt attempt. McNamara came off the bench and delivered the clutch hit with two strikes, hitting the ball hard to center. Guthridge fell to 2-2 while Mike Roth improved to 3-1 after pitching a scoreless ninth inning out of the bullpen.

Andrew Guarrasi allowed just six hits and two runs through the first seven innings before Hofstra tagged him for three hits in a three-run eighth-inning rally. New York Tech's run in the bottom of the eighth took him off the hook for the loss. Hofstra junior starter Rob Kumbatovic also took the no-decision. The righty shrugged off a sluggish opening inning, surrendering just two base hits and one run after the first.

New York Tech jumped on Kumbatovic early, starting the first with back-to-back singles. Effrey Valdez, who entered as the Bears leading hitter, opened the scoring by taking the right-hander's offering over the leftfield wall and onto the nearby tennis courts for a three-run home before an out was recorded.

The Bears extended the lead to 4-0 in the third following Christian Dienna's sacrifice fly that scored Denten Neill, who reached on a leadoff double. Kumbatovic would not allow a run after that, leaving after four innings because of a  predetermined head coach's decision.

Adam Perlo cut into the deficit in half with a clutch two-out double in the fifth. The senior first baseman ripped a 1-0 fastball down the leftfield line for a two-bagger, plating Elliot Hagburg and Chris Mentrasti.

Guarrasi utilized his fastball and location to recover from Perlo's two-RBI afternoon, retiring seven Hofstra batters in a row entering the eighth inning. But Hagburg lined a leadoff double to left-center to start the eighth an advanced to third on Perlo's single.

Senior Mark Stuckless reached on a two-base fielding error at short, brining in a run while putting runners at second and third with nobody out. Guarrasi then lost control of the strike zone, bouncing a pitch in the dirt, allowing Perlo to score. Legregni completed the comeback, ripping a RBI single to left to give Hofstra its first lead of the contest at 5-4.

Panzarella entered in relief of Kumbatovic in the fifth and started his outing by retiring the side in order. Overall, Panzarella provided a bullpen-saving effort by tossing three scoreless innings, allowing a lone base hit.

Hofstra will return home after a seven consecutive road games, engaging CAA-rival Towson in a three-game series starting Friday at University Field. Game time is 3 p.m.

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