TOWSON, Md. - Senior first baseman Ethan Paquette led Hofstra University's 20-hit attack with four base hits and five runs batted in as the Pride (16-21-1, 7-7) erupted for a 17-8 Colonial Athletic Association victory over the Tigers (16-29, 9-11) in the second game of their three-game weekend series at John B. Schuerholz Park on Saturday afternoon. 

After being limited to four runs on four hits in a 5-4 loss in the series opener on Friday, Hofstra scored eight runs in the first three innings en route to the one-sided victory.

The loss ended Towson's four-game winning streak and evened the CAA weekend series at one victory each.

Facing freshman righthander Mike Bronakoski in the first inning, Hofstra wasted no time jumping out to an early lead. Senior second baseman Matt Prokopowicz led off the game by drawing a four-pitch walk. Freshman shortstop Matt Ford also drew a walk on five pitches, putting two runners on base. After falling behind in the count, Bronakoski gave up a line drive double to junior third baseman Mike Walraven down the rightfield line, driving in Prokopowicz with the first run of the game. On the next pitch, Paquette smashed his tenth home run of the season, a three-run blast, over the left centerfield fence that gave Hofstra a 4-0 lead only four batters into the game.

After Paquette's home run, senior righthander Nate Curd came out of the Tiger bullpen to relieve Bronakoski. He allowed a one-out single to junior catcher Kevin Flynn. But he escaped the inning by getting junior leftfielder Scott A'Hara to hit into a double play.

Trailing by 4-0 in the bottom of the first inning, the Tigers cut their deficit in half. Sophomore centerfielder Ben Winter led off with a single to rightfield. With two outs, senior first baseman Steve Yarsinsky belted his ninth home run of the season over the left field fence, cutting the lead to 4-2. Junior second baseman Chris Wychock followed with a single to leftfield. However, Wychock was thrown out trying to second base, ending the inning.

The Pride staged another rally in the second inning against Curd. Senior rightfielder Elliot Hagburg led off with a single. When freshman designated hitter Peter Magistrale was hit by a pitch, Hofstra had two runners on base. A single to rightfield by Prokopowicz loaded the bases with no outs. Ford grounded into a force play as Hagburg scored to put Hofstra ahead by 5-2. A sacrifice fly by Walraven enabled Magistrale to score, giving the Pride a 6-2 advantage. The inning finally came to an end when sophomore Brian Wyman threw out Ford as he tried to steal second base.

In the third inning, Curd actually struck out Paquette, the leadoff hitter, on a pitch out of the strike zone. The wild pitch enabled Paquette to reach first base. With one out, Flynn single to right, putting runners on first and second base. After A'Hara lined out to third base, Hagburg blasted a two-run double to left centerfield, scoring two runs and extending Hofstra's lead to 8-2. Magistrale was finally retired on a popup to shortstop, ending the rally.

After a tough first inning, freshman righthander Jared Rogers of Hofstra settled down and retired eight hitters in a row. With two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning, Wychock blasted his tenth home run of the season over the right centerfield fence to end the streak and pull Towson to within 8-3. Junior designated hitter Steve Rice followed with a single but junior third baseman Austin Harclerode struck out, ending the inning.

In the fifth inning, the Pride broke the game open with the help of some control problems by Tiger pitchers. Flynn led off the inning and reached base when junior righthander Charlie Cononie hit him with a pitch. After A'Hara struck out, Hagburg reached base when he was hit by a pitch. After Cononie struck out Magistrale, he was relieved by senior lefthander Wes Shifflett. Shifflett walked Prokopowicz on four pitches to load the bases. When he hit Ford with a pitch, Flynn scored the first run of the inning. Then, Shifflett issued a bases-loaded walk to Walraven, driving in another run to make it a 10-3 lead. After the walk to Walraven, Shifflett was relieved by sophomore righthander Sean Bertrand.

Paquette greeted Bertrand with a two-run single to left field. When Wyman couldn't handle the throw from left field, Walraven and Paquette moved up a base. Senior centerfielder John Kenny increased Hofstra's lead to 14-3 when he lined a two-run single to centerfield. The inning came to an end when Wyman threw out Kenny trying to steal second base.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Tigers added a run to make it a 14-4 game. Freshman leftfielder Kurt Wertz led off with a walk. After reaching second base on a balk, he advanced to third base on a fly ball to right by Wyman. Wertz came in to score on a sacrifice fly by Winter.

Hofstra increased its lead to 15-4 in the seventh inning by scoring a run with two outs. Back-to-back singles by Walraven and Paquette gave the Pride runners on first and third base. Kenny's run-scoring single to left center scored Walraven to give Hofstra another run.

After pitching six very effective innings, Rogers was relieved by junior righthander Sean Monaghan in the seventh inning and the Tigers rallied. Wertz led off the inning with his fourth homer of the season, pulling Towson to within 15-5. With one out, Winter singled to centerfield. Winter advanced to second base when junior shortstop Nick Natoli grounded out. A single by senior rightfielder Kevin Collins advanced Winter to third base.  Yarsinsky followed with an RBI single to left field, driving in Winter to make it 15-6. But Wychock was retired on a fly ball to centerfield, ending the threat.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, the Tigers pulled even closer while facing freshman righthander Cody Normand. Rice led off the inning with double to right centerfield, his third hit of the game. When Harclerode singled to left, Rice scored to make it a 15-7 lead. Wertz followed with a long double to right centerfield, scoring Harclerode all the way from first base and cutting the deficit to 15-8. However, Normand came back and retired the next three hitters in a row.

In the ninth inning, Hofstra added two more insurance runs. With one out, Ford singled up the middle and Walraven doubled to left field. After Paquette popped up, Kenny doubled to rightfield, driving in two more runs to make it 17-8. Flynn popped up to end the inning.

"The difference in this game was that their pitchers threw strikes and our pitchers didn't," said Towson Coach Mike Gottlieb. "Their pitchers walked one batter. We walked four, we hit four and threw five wild pitches. That's the difference right there."

Hofstra pounded eight Tiger pitchers for 20 hits, including five doubles and one home run. All but one player in the Hofstra starting lineup had at least one hit.

A transfer from Vermont, Paquette went four-for-six with three runs scored and five runs batted in. Kenny went three-for-six with five RBI's while Walraven had three hits and drove in three runs. He also scored four runs. Hagburg added three hits and two runs batted in while Flynn also had a pair of hits.

Rogers earned his fourth win of the season by pitching six effective innings. He held Towson to four runs on seven hits. He walked one batter and had four strikeouts.

Hofstra's 20 hits were the Pride's second-highest single game total of the season.

Yarsinsky and Rice led Towson with three hits each. Yarsinsky was three-for-five with three RBI's. Rice went three-for-four and scored one run. Wychock had two hits and drove in a run while Winter went two-for-four and scored a pair of runs. Wertz was two-for-three with two runs scored and two RBI's.

Harclerode, who was 1-for-4, extended his hitting streak to 17 games with his eighth inning single.

Towson and Hofstra conclude their three-game weekend series on Sunday afternoon with a single game at 1:00 p.m. at Schuerholz Park.