Hempstead, NY- Senior Ethan Paquette drove in two runs and lined three hits in the opener and freshman Jared Rogers allowed one earned run in six innings in Game 2 to lead Hofstra to a doubleheader sweep over Fairfield, 7-4 and 15-3, on Saturday afternoon at University Field.
Paquette (West Burke, VT) finished the day 5-for-9, scoring twice and adding three RBIs to help Hofstra record its first victories of the season in moving to 2-10.
Fellow senior Matt Prokopowicz keyed Hofstra's most explosive run production of the season in the second game, going 4-for-5 with two runs scored and a two-run home run. Fairfield dropped to 6-6 overall in the first meeting between the schools since 2002.
Hofstra surged to a 5-0 first-inning lead in the opener to support freshman starter David D'Errico (North Kingston, RI). Senior Mike Walraven's (Thompson Ridge, NY) RBI double to right-centerfield ignited the barrage against Fairfield's Sam Robertson (1-2). Paquette's two-run double down the leftfield extended the rally.
Junior Kevin Flynn (Morristown, NJ) added a run-scoring groundout and senior Elliot Hagburg (East Hanover, NJ) lined a sacrifice fly to cap the five-spot.
D'Errico capitalized on the early support, limiting the Stags to two runs on five hits in four innings to move to 1-0 in the seven-inning contest. The right-hander struck out four and allowed just one walk. Fellow freshman John Krause (Wantagh, NY) earned the Pride's first save of the season, allowing just one run in two innings to secure the win.
Nursing a 6-3 lead entering the sixth, Krause entered and struck out the side. Carmine DeVito's solo home run in the seventh was the only run Fairfield scored against Krause as Hofstra posted its first victory of 2010.
The Pride sustained momentum in the nine-inning second game. Rogers registered the best game of his young career, holding the Stags to two runs (one earned) and four hits in six innings, improving to 1-3. He retired 18 of 23 batters faced, striking out four against two walks in earning his first collegiate victory.
Rogers induced a pop-fly out to strand runners on second and third in the opening inning. Hofstra responded by providing a cushion for the righty, scoring four runs in the second inning. Hagburg doubled home fellow senior John Kenny (Franklin Square, NY) and sophomore Matt Hancock (Old Lyme, CT) ripped a RBI single to right. Prokopowicz capped the big inning against Stags senior Scott Gussaroff (0-1), pulling a home run to right-centerfield for his second home run of the season.
All nine Hofstra starters scored at least once and tallied a base hit. The Pride's sixth-through-eighth hitters crushed three Fairfield pitchers for a combined 6-for-14 with five runs scored and six RBIs.
Shortstop Matt Ford (Lansing, NY) added two hits and set a career-high with three RBIs from the sixth spot. Fellow freshman Jared Hammer (Flemington, NJ) scored three runs and hit the first home run of his college career from the lineup's ninth-spot.
Freshmen Drew Liebert (Baltimore, MD) pitched a scoreless seventh and Greg Lettini (Hempstead, NY) tossed the last two innings to close out the sweep.
Hofstra and Fairfield will play another doubleheader on Sunday. Game time for the opener is scheduled for noon.
