Hempstead, NY - Freshman catcher Matt Reistetter
(Hauppauge, NY) delivered a two-out, bases-loaded single in the bottom of the 11th inning to give Hofstra a 5-4 win over Towson in the opening game of a Colonial Athletic Association series at University Field. Senior Jeff Guthridge
(Bel Air, MD) threw four innings of one-hit relief to earn the win.
Hofstra improves to 3-13 on the season, 3-4 in CAA play. Towson, which has lost three straight games, falls to 6-15-1, 2-5 in league action.
The winning rally started when Joe Perez
(Clovis, CA) lined a one-out single to center. After he was erased on a fielder's choice by Jared Hammer
(Flemington, NJ), T.J. Thomas
doubled down the left field line to put runners on second and third. Towson elected to intentionally walk Matt Ford
(Lansing, NY) to load the bases and set up Reistetter. Reistetter turned on a 1-1 pitch and put in through the hole between first and second to drive in Hammer with the winning run.
Hofstra led 4-2 going into the top of the seventh before Towson scored two unearned runs. Steve Rice led off the inning with a single. Dominic Fratantuono then hit a grounder to Bobby Gazzola
(Coram, NY), who tried to tag Rice, but dropped the ball for an error. After a sacrifice put runners on second and third, Nick Natoli grounded to Gazzola, who made a low throw for a second error. That allowed Rice to score and moved Fratantuono to third. Pat Fitzgerald then delivered a squeeze bunt that tied the score at 4-4.
Hofstra had broken a 2-2 tie with two runs in the bottom of the sixth with Dylan Nasiatka
(Bakersfield, CA) delivering a sacrifice fly and Hammer a RBI single.
Pride starter David D'Errico
(North Kingstown, RI) went 6 1/3 innings and allowed eight hits, four runs (two earned) and struck out five. Joe Burg
(Lindenhurst, IL) came on to get the last two outs of the seventh before Guthridge started the eighth. In his four innings of work, Guthridge allowed one single and struck out five batters to pick up his first win of the season against no losses.
Towson reliever Christian Duclos (0-1) took the loss. Duclos went five innings and allowed five hits, the one run and had four strikeouts.
Thomas was the only Pride player to have multiple hits, as he had a triple in addition to his 11th-inning double. Reistetter finished the day 1-for-5. Rice had two hits for Towson. Nick Natoli had a single and two RBIs for Towson as well.
The two teams meet again Saturday afternoon with first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m. Rob Kumbatovic
will pitch for Hofstra and will be opposed by Michael Trionfo.
