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Hofstra University Athletics

THE PRIDE OF LONG ISLAND
THE PRIDE OF LONG ISLAND
Michael Brown
Ivy Rose Ball
6
Rider RID 6-5
16
Winner Hofstra HOFS 2-8
Rider RID
6-5
6
Final
16
Hofstra HOFS
2-8
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 R H E
Rider RID 0 0 0 4 2 0 0 0 6 10 2
Hofstra HOFS 1 0 9 1 4 0 0 1 16 11 1

W: D'Ambrosio, Michael (1-0) L: Ruditzky, Jack (1-1)

Game Recap: Baseball | | Len Skoros

Brown Homers Twice As Hofstra Routs Rider In Home Opener

Hempstead, NY - Michael Brown hit two home runs, the first of his collegiate career, and Tyler Cox added a game-ending solo shot in the bottom of the eighth inning as Hofstra picked up a 16-6 win over Rider Wednesday in the Pride's 2026 home opener. Brown finished 4-4 on the day with six RBIs and three runs scored. Cox had three hits, three RBIs and two runs scored. 

Hofstra improved to 2-8 with the win, while Rider slipped to 6-5. The win was also the 100th win at Hofstra for Pride Coach Frank Catalanotto. 

Brown led off the bottom of the first with a home run to right center to give the Pride a 1-0 lead. Hofstra would blow the game open in the third, scoring nine runs. After loading the bases with no outs, Gabriel Melara delivered a two-run single. Cox followed with a two-RBI double to make it 5-0. Michael Craig had an RBI single, while Danny Corona had an RBI double before Brown cleared the fence in right center once again for a three-run home run. 

Rider would score four times in the fourth inning and twice more in the fifth to get within five at 11-6. But Hofstra scored four times in the bottom of the fifth without the benefit of a base hit to take a 15-6 lead. Two walks and a hit by pitch loaded the bases. Craig drove in a run with a walk, Corona was hit by a pitch to force in a second run, and Sam Leonard walked to drive in a third. Brown then hit a sacrifice fly to center that closed the scoring in the inning. 

The score stayed the same until Cox came up in the bottom of the eighth with two outs and drove the first pitch he saw over the left field wall for an opposite field walk-off (due to the 10-run rule). 

Reliever Michael D'Ambrosio (1-0) was credited with the win after throwing 1 ⅓ scoreless innings. Rider starter Jack Ruditzky (1-1) took the loss, allowing six runs on five hits over 2-plus innings. 

Hofstra returns to action Friday at Monmouth in the opener of a three-game series. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.

Notes:
-Hofstra is 12-22 all-time against Rider.
-The Pride is 19-6 in its last 25 home openers. 
-Brown matched his career-high in hits and set a new personal best with the six RBIs.
-Cox's home run was his first of the season.
-Melara ran his hitting streak to five games. 
-Rider pitching walked eight and hit seven Hofstra batters.
-Deuce Musial and Grady Lacourciere each pitched scoreless innings with the latter striking out the side in the eighth. 
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