Hempstead, NY - The Hofstra Baseball team, under the direction of third-year Coach John Russo, began preparation for the 2014 season Friday with their first full-squad workout. The Pride return 18 players from last season's 26-27 squad, including position starters Kenny Jackson, Robbie Cafiero, Matt Ford and Dalton Rouleau, starting pitchers David D'Errico and Nick Kozlowski and closer Brett Schreiber.
Jackson, a two-time All-Colonial Athletic Association outfield selection, led the Pride with nine home runs and added 12 doubles, 36 RBIs and a .300 batting average last season. Cafiero, who saw a majority of time at third base in 2013 and hit .270 with 10 doubles, moves to catcher this season to replace Matt Reistetter, who signed with the Washington Nationals organization after his junior season. Ford returns to his second base position after missing all of 2013 due to injury. Rouleau also missed nearly all of the 2013 season, but will be back at shortstop this year. The duo both earned first team All-CAA accolades in 2012 and form arguably the top defensive middle infield combination in the league.
D'Errico was 3-4 with a 5.83 ERA in his return from Tommy John surgery, while Kozlowski was 3-0 with a 3.89 ERA. Schreiber posted a 3-3 record, six saves, a 2.48 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 28 appearances as a junior.
The Pride also welcome 18 newcomers this season and several will be thrust into prominent roles right off the bat, including junior first baseman Ryan Donovan, junior outfielders Eric Peterson and Eric Ferguson, sophomore pitcher Alec Eisenberg and freshman infielder Brad Witkowski. Donovan is a transfer from Fairfield, while Peterson began his collegiate career at St. John's and played last year at County College of Morris in New Jersey where he hit .340 with 15 doubles. Ferguson is in his first semester at Hofstra after transferring from Temple. Eisenberg was the Region 15 Pitcher of the Year as a freshman at Westchester Community College. Witkowski was an all-league performer at Lindenhurst High School.
Hofstra was picked seventh in the 2014 CAA Preseason Poll behind UNCW, Charleston, William & Mary, Towson, Northeastern and James Madison. In addition, Jackson, Ford and Rouleau were honorable mention Preseason All-CAA selections.
The Pride opens the 2014 campaign Friday, February 14 in Starkville, Mississippi, versus College World Series runner-up Mississippi State.
