TOWSON, Md. - Senior second baseman Matt Prokopowicz banged out four hits and became Hofstra University's career leader in base hits as he paced Hofstra (17-21-1, 8-7) to a 13-7 Colonial Athletic Association victory over Towson University (16-30, 9-12) in the third and deciding game of their three-game weekend series at John B. Schuerholz Park on Sunday afternoon.
In the series finale, Hofstra pounded out 18 hits and smashed four home runs as the Pride improved their CAA playoff chances.
After dropping the series opener on Friday, Hofstra unleashed an impressive offensive attack in the final two games of the weekend series. After posting a 17-8 win on Saturday, the Pride clinched the series with its 13-7 win on Sunday.
By winning the three-game CAA series, it marked the first time since the 2005 season that Hofstra won two out of three from Towson.
For the third game in a row, Hofstra took a lead in the first inning. With one out, freshman shortstop Matt Ford doubled down the left field line. When junior third baseman Mike Walraven hit an opposite field double just inside the leftfield line, the Pride owned a 1-0 lead. Freshman righthander Michael Trionfo settled down and pitched out of the inning when he retired senior first baseman Ethan Paquette on a fly ball to deep centerfield before senior centerfielder John Kenny lined out to leftfield.
In the top of the second inning, the Pride used three extra base hits to extend their lead to 4-0. Junior catcher Mike Flynn led off the inning with a double off the right field fence. Junior leftfielder Scott A'Hara reached base on an infield single to shortstop as Flynn remained at second base. Flynn and A'Hara moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by senior rightfielder Elliot Hagburg. Freshman designated hitter Jared Hammer gave Hofstra 3-0 lead when his drive off the right field fence went for a two-run triple. Senior rightfielder Kevin Collins of Towson was shaken up on the play but remained in the game.
Prokopowicz increased the Hofstra lead to 4-0 when he drove in Hammer with a long double to centerfield. It was the 249th hit of his career as he became Hofstra's career base hit leader. Ford was retired on a fly ball to left field before Walraven grounded out to end the inning.
In the bottom of the second inning, the Tigers rallied to get back in the game. Showing no ill effects of his collision with the right field fence, Collins led off the inning with a home run over the right field fence to make it a 4-1 game. It was his fifth homer of the season. Junior designated hitter Steve Rice followed with a triple to right centerfield, giving the Tigers a runner on third base with no outs. Junior third baseman Austin Harclerode drove in Rice when he singled to centerfield to cut the deficit to 4-2. After freshman leftfielder Kurt Wertz was retired on a popup, freshman righthander Andrew Barbarino walked freshman catcher Andrew Parker, putting the tying runs on base. After sophomore centerfielder Ben Winter flew out to right, junior shortstop Nick Natoli reached base on an infield single to load the bases. However, Barbarino retired junior second baseman Chris Wychock on a ground ball to second base on a 3-2 pitch, ending the inning.
In the third inning, sophomore righthander Tyler Austin, the winning pitcher in Friday's series opener, relieved Trionfo on the mound for the Tigers and Hofstra jumped all over him, hitting four home runs in a seven-run inning.
With one out, Kenny lined a solo homer over the right field fence to make it 5-2. Flynn made it back-to-back homers when he belted his second home run of the season over the right field fence for a 6-2 advantage.
After Austin walked A'Hara, Hagburg launched his third home run of the year over the left field fence to give Hofstra an 8-2 lead. Hammer and Prokopowicz followed with back-to-back singles to right. Then, Ford increased the lead to 11-2 by smashing his second home run of the season over the right field fence. After Austin gave up back-to-back singles to Walraven and Paquette, he was relieved by junior righthander Charlie Cononie. Cononie retired the next two hitters to escape the mess.
Cononie did an outstanding job shutting down Hofstra over the next four innings, holding the Pride to two hits while providing the Tigers an opportunity to come from behind.
In the bottom of the third inning, a double by Yarsinsky and an RBI single by Harclerode cut the Tigers' deficit to 11-3.
However, freshman lefthander Joe Burg came out of the bullpen at the start of the fourth inning to relieve Barbarino. Burg, who would pick up his second win of the season, shut out the Tigers on two hits over the next three innings.
Trailing by 11-3 in the bottom of the seventh inning, the Tigers' bats came to life. Natoli started the inning with a single against freshman righthander Drew Liebert. With one out, Yarsinsky launched his tenth home run of the season over the right field fence to pull the Tigers to within 11-5. Collins followed with a double down the right field line. He scored on Harclerode's fourth hit of the game, a double, to narrow the deficit to 11-6.
In the eighth inning, Cononie showed signs of tiring. With one out, he issued a walk to Flynn. Flynn alertly advanced from first base to third while A'Hara grounded out to third base. Moments later, Flynn scored on a wild pitch. When Hagburg singled and Hammer drew a walk, Cononie was relieved by freshman righthander Mike Volpe. Prokopowicz greeted Volpe with a single to centerfield, driving in Hagburg to make it a 13-6 advantage. Then, Parker ended the inning when he picked Prokopowicz off first base for the final out.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, the Tigers missed an opportunity to cut into their deficit. With one out, Winter singled to center field. After he advanced to second base on a wild pitch, Natoli singled to right putting runners at first and third. A single by Wychock scored Natoli to make it a 13-7 lead. But the Tiger couldn't get any closer as Yarsinsky was retired on a fly ball to right field and Collins popped up.
Rice opened the bottom of the ninth inning with a single for the Tigers. With two outs, Parker drew a walk. But, freshman righthander Matt Watkins struck out Winter to end the game.
Burg earned his second win of the season by pitching three shutout innings. He allowed only two hits and had one strikeout. Trionfo, who allowed four runs on six hits in two innings, suffered the loss.
Prokopowicz, who batted .500 in the four-game series, led Hofstra's offense. He went four-for-six with two runs batted in. Walraven added three hits and had one RBI. Ford was two-for-five with a double, a home run and three RBI's. Flynn had two hits and scored three runs while Hagburg went two-for-three with two runs scored and two RBI's. Hammer also had two hits and drove in two runs.
Every hitter in the Hofstra lineup had at least one base hit as the Pride banged out four doubles, a triple and four home runs.
The Tigers, who had a total of 16 hits in the loss, had trouble hitting with runners on base. Towson stranded 12 runners on base in the loss and left the bases loaded once.
Harclerode, who extended his hitting streak to 18 games, led the Tigers. He went four-for-five with three runs batted in. Yarsinsky, who batted .462 in the weekend series, was two-for-five with two RBI's. Natoli also had four hits for the Tigers. He was four-for-four with a walk and scored one run. Collins and Rice added two hits each.
In the three-game series, Hofstra batted .375 as a team and scored 34 runs. The Pride hit ten doubles and six home runs.
Hofstra has now won seven of its last nine games.
The Tigers return to action on Tuesday afternoon when they host the University of Maryland at Schuerholz Park at 3:00 p.m.
