South Orange, NJ - Rob Weissheier's two-run home run in the seventh inning of game two gave Hofstra a 3-2 lead and the Pride held on by that score to salvage an opening day doubleheader split at Seton Hall. Ryan Rue picked up the win for the Pride (1-1), turning in a solid outing out of the bullpen. Seton Hall (1-1) won game one in walk-off fashion, 3-2, after scoring two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Game One
The Pride got on the board in the top of the first as Austin Gauthier took the first pitch he saw to the left field fence for a double. After the Pride loaded the bases, Gauthier scored on a wild pitch and Brian Goulard followed with a sacrifice fly to plate Anthony D'Onofrio for a 2-0 lead.

That was all the scoring the Pride would generate, though Jack Jett turned in a solid start on the mound. The right-hander allowed a run on four hits over 5 1/3 innings. The Pirates got to Jett in the sixth inning as Casey Dana led off with a single and went to second on a fly out to center. Chris Mott came on to relieve Jett and threw a wild pitch that allowed Dana to move to third. Dana would then score on a sacrifice fly from Alex Clyde.

The bottom of the seventh saw Hofstra closer John Mikolaicyk (0-1) strikeout the first two batters though the second, Jace Baqui, reach on a wild pitch. Back-to-back infield errors allowed Baqui to score the tying run, and put runners at first and second. The lead runner, Jerry Huntzinger, moved to third on a fly out to centerfield and then scored the winning run on Mikolaicyk's second wild pitch of the inning.
Joe Cinnella (1-0) picked up the win in relief, allowing no runs on two hits over 3 1/3 innings.

Game Two
The Pirates scored a run in the bottom of the first inning as Huntzinger led off with a single and scored on a triple from Big East Preseason Co-Player of the Year Tyler Shendler-McAvoy. The Pride would tie the score in the third as Gauthier drew a two-out walk and advanced to second on a balk. D'Onofrio followed with an RBI single to knot the score at one.

Seton Hall snapped the tie in their at bat in the bottom of the frame with Huntzinger and Shendler-McAvoy coming through for the Pirates. Huntzinger singled, stole second, and went to third on a wild pitch before a sac fly from Shendler-McAvoy gave the Pirates the lead once again.  

The score remained that way until Weissheier put the Pride on top in the seventh with a rocket down the left field line that cleared the fence and drove in Gauthier, who had led off the frame with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from D'Onofrio.

Rue (1-0) picked up the win with four innings in relief of starter Jimmy Joyce. Rue allowed no runs and one hit in his outing. The junior left-hander struck out three batters as well. Joyce was stellar in his start, allowing two runs on four hits with four strikeouts over five innings.

David Festa (0-1) took the loss in relief, allowing two runs on three hits in three innings of work.

Hofstra returns to action this Friday in a doubleheader at La Salle beginning at 11 a.m.

Notes:
-Hofstra is 5-15 all-time versus Seton Hall.
-Hofstra left nine runners on base in each end of the doubleheader.
-Jett has had a no-decision in each of his last four starts dating back to last season
-Weissheier had two hits in game two and his home run was the 18th of his career.
-Gauthier reached base six times on the day (two hits, four walks).
-The Pride was 4-4 in stolen base attempts on the day.