Hempstead, NY - Hofstra scored 11 runs over the first three innings and went on to post a 15-6 victory over James Madison Sunday afternoon at University Field. The Pride playing their final game of the regular season, matched their season-high with 17 hits. The victory was also Hofstra's season-best fifth in a row and completed a three-game sweep of the Dukes.
The Pride moved to 26-21 overall and 15-9 in the CAA with the win. The sweep was Hofstra's first of the season. James Madison fell to 26-23 overall and 11-9 in CAA play.
After scoring a run on an infield single in the top of the first inning, James Madison watched as the Pride sent 12 men to the plate in an 8-run first inning.
Kevin Bruggeman had a two-run single to open the Pride's scoring, while
Michael Florides had a two-run double and
Anthony D'Onofrio added a two-run triple later in the inning.
Santino Rosso (single) and
Will Kennedy (triple) also had RBI hits in the inning.
Hofstra would add a run in the second on
Jake Liberatore's second home run in as many games and then two more in the third on RBI doubles from Kennedy and
Brian Morrell.
The Dukes would cut the lead to 11-4 in the sixth inning before the Pride tacked on a run in the sixth on a Liberatore sacrifice fly and two more in the seventh on a two-run single from
Steve Harrington that made it 14-5. Kennedy closed out the Pride's scoring with an RBI single in the eighth.
Hofstra starter
Brad Camarda (7-1) allowed four runs on nine hits in 5 1/3 innings with four strikeouts to earn the win.
Steven Kaenzig, pitching on back-to-back days, allowed a run on two hits in 1 2/3 innings.
Zack Bailey threw a scoreless eighth before
Chris Keenan came on in the ninth and allowed a run on two hits.
James Madison starter Justin Showalter (4-7) took the loss after allowing 11 runs (6 earned) on 11 hits in 2 2/3 innings. The Dukes bullpen of Anthony Piccolino (3 1/3), Matt Leicus (1), Nick Stewart (2 batters faced), and Evan Smith limited the Pride to four runs and six hits the rest of the way.
Hofstra will have more than a week off before beginning play in the CAA Championship with final exams scheduled for this week. The Pride are on a bye during the final weekend of the CAA regular season as well. Hofstra will have to wait for this weekend's results to know their seeding in the championship, which takes place May 25-28 at Elon.
Notes:
-Kennedy had his second four-hit game of the series and was a home run shy of hitting for the cycle.
-Morrell had three hits, his second three-hit game of the series.
-Every Hofstra starter had at least one hit.
-The sweep was Hofstra's first in CAA play since winning three against UNCW in 2019.
-Hofstra won six of eight CAA series' this season.
-The Pride finished the 2022 campaign with a 14-9 record at University Field, their second consecutive winning season at home with the 14 wins the most at home since 2013.
