Hempstead, NY - The Hofstra University Baseball team returns to the Colonial Athletic Association Championship for the first time since 2012 and will open play Wednesday afternoon at 3 p.m. against No. 3 seed Charleston. The Championship will take place at Eagle Field at Veterans Memorial Park in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
 
Hofstra, the No. 6 seed, enters the game with a 23-21 record. The Pride has not played since closing out the regular season May 12 against James Madison. Hofstra was in final exams last week, while the rest of the league concluded the regular season this past weekend.
 
The CAA Championship appearance is just the third overall for the Pride, which has an overall record of 1-4 in CAA Championship play. Hofstra was 0-2 as the sixth seed in 2005 and 1-2 as the No. 2 seed in 2012.
 
Charleston enters the CAA Championship with a 35-17 record. The Cougars split a pair of games against UNCW this past weekend. Hofstra swept Charleston at home in a three-game series earlier this season.
 
Michael James will get the start for the Pride. The senior is 1-0 with a 2.17 ERA in 16 appearances (2 starts) this season. 
 
Hofstra has been led all season by its pitching with John Rooney leading the way with an 8-1 record, a 1.01 ERA and a school-record 99 strikeouts. Matt Weissheier is 4-4 with a 3.05 ERA and Teddy Cillis is 2-3 with a 3.27 ERA and 61 strikeouts. Chris Weiss has a 2-4 record and nine saves, which is tied for the best single season mark in program history, and 66 strikeouts in 42 1/3 innings. Seamus Brazill, Brad Camarda and Zach Altieri have each notched two wins on the season. 
 
Vito Friscia paces the Pride offense with a .352 average and six home runs. He shares the team lead in RBIs (30) with Rob Weissheier. Mikey Riesner is batting .277 with 12 doubles and 17 RBIs. Rob Weissheier has a team-best 13 doubles and has added four home runs to go with his 30 RBIs. Cillis has five home runs, while Steven Foster leads the Pride with 27 runs and eight stolen bases. 
 
Links for live statistics, live video, provided by CAA.tv, and live audio, provided by WRHU (88.7 FM), are available above or on the baseball schedule page at GoHofstra.com. The game will also air over the air on WRHU (88.7 FM).