Hempstead, NY - The Hofstra Baseball team, owners of a 13-12 record, host four games this week as they return to University Field after playing eight consecutive games, and 22 of their first 25, on the road. The Pride host Albany (6-18-1) Wednesday afternoon and then welcome Colonial Athletic Association rival Georgia State (13-16) for a three-game series starting Friday.

The Pride is coming off a 3-1 week that saw the team post a come-from-behind win at Marist last Tuesday and then take two-of-three from Delaware State this past weekend. The wins put Hofstra over the .500 mark, the latest the team has been over .500 since the 2001 squad was 15-14 after 29 contests.

The 13 wins thus far are just three shy of the 15 victories that the 2011 team posted. The Pride has taken to the style of play taught by first-year coach John Russo, which puts an emphasis on the running game. Hofstra has stolen 80 bases in 25 games after stealing just 43 in 47 games in 2011. The Pride lead the nation in steals per game (3.20 per game) and is third in total steals. Hofstra is also one of the top scoring teams in the nation, ranking in the top 20 at 7.48 runs per game.

Senior Danny Poma, and juniors Austin Nyman and Dalton Rouleau have been the primary base stealing threats for the Pride as Poma leads the team with 18 steals while Nyman and Rouleau have 14 and 13, respectively. But the running game is not limited to those three as 11 players on the roster have at least one steal.

Junior Jared Hammer leads the team in batting with a .430 average and 32 RBIs. Poma has a .410 average and leads the nation and the CAA with 16 doubles. He has also contributed a league-best 36 runs and is tied for the team lead with three home runs. Junior Matt Ford has also swung a hot bat this season, batting .375 with 20 RBIs. The Pride boast three other starters with .300 averages as sophomore Kenny Jackson is batting .315, Rouleau is hitting .313 and Nyman checks in at an even .300.

The pitching staff has been anchored by juniors David D'Errico and John Tiedemann, and freshman Dave Jesch. D'Errico has a 2-1 record with a 2.97 ERA, while Tiedemann has a 3-3 record and a team-best 33 strikeouts in 31 2/3 innings. Jesch has a 3-0 mark with a 2.73 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 33 innings. Cody Normand and Bryan Verbitsky have been the top pitchers out of the bullpen. Normand has made 11 appearances and has a 1-0 mark and a 2.77 ERA. Verbitsky has no decisions, one save and a 1.00 ERA in eight appearances.

Albany enters Wednesday's game off a weekend series at Massachusetts that saw the Great Danes drop two of three contests. The game marks the first of two contests against Albany this year as the Pride will head upstate for a game on May 9. Last season Hofstra posted a 10-7 victory over the Great Danes and holds a 6-3 edge in the all-time series.

The Georgia State series will be a key matchup as teams try to put themselves in position to make the six team CAA Championship in May. Hofstra, at 6-3, is currently alone in second place while Georgia State is in sixth at 5-4. The Panthers dropped two of three games at George Mason this past weekend and will play a non-conference game against Alabama State on Wednesday before heading north. Hofstra has not had a great deal of success in the past against Georgia State, as the Panthers have won 11 of the 15 games played between the two.

Live audio and statistics for all four games can be found on GoHofstra.com.