HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. - Despite some strong pitching from freshman righthanders Brandon Gonnella and Christian Duclos, the Tigers (6-15-1, 2-5) dropped a 5-4 Colonial Athletic Association decision in 11 innings to Hofstra University (3-13, 3-4) in the opening game of their three-game CAA series on Friday afternoon.
Despite pitching in chilly 40-degree weather on Long Island, Gonnella and Duclos combined to limit Hofstra to four earned runs on nine hits in 10.2 innings of work. They walked four batters and had six strikeouts.
The Pride managed to pull out the victory with two outs in the bottom of the 11th inning when freshman catcher Matt Reistetter lined a bases-loaded single to rightfield, scoring sophomore first baseman Jared Hammer with the winning run.
Pitching in his fifth inning of relief, Duclos ran into trouble with one out in the 11th inning. A one-out single to centerfield by junior third baseman Joe Perez, his first hit of the game, started the winning rally. Hammer grounded into a force play as Duclos threw to second base for the second out of the inning.
On a 1-2 pitch, junior rightfielder T.J. Thomas had the big hit of the inning when he doubled down the leftfield line, giving Hofstra runners on second and third with two outs. The Tigers elected to issue an intentional walk to sophomore shortstop Matt Ford, loading the bases. However, Reistetter foiled that strategy when he lined a 1-1 pitch into right, giving Hofstra a walk-off win.
Gonnella pitched the first 5.2 innings of the game for Towson. He allowed three earned runs on four hits with two walks and two strikeouts. Duclos, who suffered the first loss of his career, pitched five innings. He allowed one run on five hits with two walks and four strikeouts.
Making the third start of his young career, Gonnella gave up a first inning run to the Pride. Gonnella walked the first batter he faced, senior leftfielder Scott A'Hara. Junior designated hitter Dylan Nasiatka followed him with a single to rightfield as A'Hara reached third base. When junior centerfielder Danny Poma hit a fly ball to junior centerfielder Ben Winter, A'Hara gave Hofstra a 1-0 lead, scoring on the sacrifice fly. Trailing 1-0, Gonnella helped his own cause by picking Nasiatka off first base. Then, he ended the inning by striking out Perez.
The Tigers, who were shut out in back-to-back games at #3 Virginia earlier in the week, were blanked by sophomore righthander David D'Errico through the first three innings.
In the top of the fourth inning, the Tigers rallied to tie the game. Freshman second baseman Pat Fitzgerald drew a walk to lead off the frame. After senior third baseman Chris Wychock struck out, sophomore catcher Andrew Parker lined a single to centerfield. Senior first baseman Austin Harclerode delivered the game-tying hit when he singled to left field as Fitzgerald scored and Parker advanced to third. However, Harclerode was tagged out trying to stretch his hit into a double. The inning came to an end when Winter grounded out.
When the Tigers scored the tying run, they ended a streak of 21 consecutive scoreless innings.
In the fifth inning, the Tigers took a 2-1 lead. Senior rightfielder Steve Rice led off with an infield single. He moved to second base when freshman leftfielder Dominic Fratantuono grounded out to second base. After freshman designated hitter Hunter Bennett was retired on a fly ball to right, senior shortstop Nick Natoli lined a single to left. Rice scored to give Towson a 2-1 lead. D'Errico ended the inning by striking out Fitzgerald.
After allowing the first inning run, Gonnella settled into a groove and didn't allow another hit until the bottom of the fifth inning. With one out, Thomas hit a long triple to left centerfield. When Natoli made an error on the relay throw, he scored an unearned run to tie the game at 2-2. Gonnella came right back to retire the next two batters to preserve the 2-2 tie.
The Tigers missed a great opportunity to re-take the lead in the top of the sixth inning. Wychock led off with a double down the leftfield line. It was the 199th base hit of his career.
But, D'Errico worked his way out of the jam as he retired Parker on a fly ball to left, Harclerode on a pop-up and Winter on a fly ball to centerfield.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Pride rallied to take a 4-2 lead. Freshman second baseman Bobby Gazzola led off with a single to centerfield. After A'Hara sacrificed him to second base, Gazzola went to third base on a wild pitch. A sacrifice fly by Nasiatka drove in Gazzola to give Hofstra a 3-2 advantage. Poma kept the inning alive with a double to rightfield. After Gonnella walked Perez, he was relieved by Duclos. Hammer greeted Duclos with a single to rightfield as Poma scored to give the Pride a 4-2 lead. But, Duclos struck out Thomas to end the rally.
In the seventh inning, the Tigers took advantage of two errors by Gazzola, the second baseman, to tie the game. Rice led off the inning with an infield single before Fratantuono reached base on Gazzola's first error of the inning. After Bennett sacrificed both runners into scoring position, Natoli hit another ground ball to second base. Gazzola's throwing error enabled Natoli to reach base while Rice scored to make it 4-3. With runners on first and third and one out, sophomore lefthander Joe Burg came out of the bullpen to relieve D'Errico.
The first batter he faced, Fitzgerald laid down a safety squeeze bunt as Fratantuono scored the tying run. Wychock grounded out to end the inning.
After allowing a leadoff single to Ford in the seventh inning, Duclos settled down and shut down the Pride. He retired ten hitters in a row before he walked freshman Logan Davis with one out in the bottom of the tenth inning.
Meanwhile, senior righthander Jeff Guthridge, a Calvert Hall graduate whose father played baseball at Towson, took over for Hofstra in the eighth inning. He matched Duclos' effort as the game went into extra innings. The Tigers staged a mild threat in the ninth inning when Fratantuono singled with one out. However, Guthridge retired Bennett on a pop-up and Natoli on a fly ball to end the inning.
In first four innings of relief, Guthridge retired 12 of the 13 batters and struck out five of them. He allowed only one hit and didn't walk anyone.
Guthridge was the beneficiary of Hofstra's 11th inning rally as he earned his first victory of the season.
Each team had nine base hits in the game. Rice led the Tigers with two hits and two runs scored while Natoli drove in two runs.
Thomas led Hofstra with two hits, a double and a triple.
The Tigers, who left six runners on base, were only 3-for-19 with runners on base in the loss. It was Towson's third one-run loss of the season.
The Tigers and the Pride resume their three-game weekend series on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. Sophomore righthander Michael Trionfo is scheduled to pitch for Towson.
