Hempstead, NY- Freshman Joe Burg entered with the bases loaded in the ninth and retired three straight Army hitters without giving up a run to preserve Hofstra's 11-9 victory over the Black Knights in a non-conference matchup on Tuesday afternoon at University Field.
Burg (Lindenhurst, IL) earned his first career save and senior John Kenny (Franklin Square, NY) went 4-for-4 with three runs scored, one RBI and three stolen bases. Hofstra snapped a seven-game losing streak to improve to 11-20. The Pride already has matched its 2009 season win total with 18 games remaining.
Senior Elliot Hagburg (East Hanover, NJ) drilled a pinch-hit home run to break a 8-all tie in the bottom of the seventh. Hagburg pinch hit for Matt Hancock and took Army's Clint Moore deep to left with one-out to pull Hofstra ahead, 9-8. Matt Prokopowicz (Massapequa, NY) and Mike Walraven (Thompson Ridge, NY) added RBI base hits later in the inning for a three-run cushion.
Army scratched across one run in the top of the eighth. Moore, who started the game at shortstop, went 2-for-5 with three RBIs, a solo home run and two runs scored as the Black Knights fell to 20-12.
Hofstra used seven pitchers to close out the win. Junior Jeff Guthridge (Bel Air, MD) entered in the seventh and allowed just one run in two innings to earn the win and move to 2-2. Moore dropped to 0-1.
Nursing a 11-9 lead, freshman John Krause entered to start the ninth and hit the first two Army batters he faced. After Shaun Wixted worked a walk to load the bases, Hofstra head coach Patrick Anderson called on Burg to escape the jam.
Burg, the only left-hander on Hofstra's staff, induced ninth-hitting David Darnell to pop out foul past the first-base line before striking out Zach Price for two outs. Steve May then softly lined Burg's offering to short, allowing the Pride to post a win against the Black Knights in the first meeting between the schools since 2004.
Army opened the scoring with one run against Pride starter Kevin Rigopoulos (Athol, MA) in the first thanks to Moore's fourth home of the season cleared the centerfield fence.
The Pride responded with a five-run rally in the bottom of the inning against Chris Rowley. Senior Ethan Paquette (West Burke, VT) ripped a two-run double down the leftfield line and Kenny added a RBI-double to left-center. Kenny then used his legs to score Hofstra's fourth run, stealing third base for his first swipe of the afternoon before coming home on the wild throw that tried to get him out at third.
The Pride built a 6-1 lead before Army torched three Hofstra pitchers in a six-run fifth inning. The Black Knights sent 11 men to the plate in a barrage ignited by Wixted's solo home run to center.
Army tied the score at 8 in the top of the seventh before Hofstra's rally in the bottom of the inning. Hagburg's second home of the season put the Pride ahead for good. After a walk, Prokopowicz doubled home junior Scott A'Hara (Downingtown, PA) and Walraven singled home Prokopowicz.
Hofstra will continue a stretch of five home games in six days when it hosts local-rival Stony Brook in a non-conference game on Wednesday. Junior Sean Monaghan (East Meadow, NY) will get the start for the Pride at University Field. Game time is set for 3:30 p.m.
