HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – The Towson University baseball team had a pair of games for the ages at Hofstra, coming back from down six to win the series opener 9-8 and taking the second contest 4-3 in extra innings to take the twinbill.
 
Towson (15-22, 5-1 CAA) was down 6-0 after four innings in game one to Hofstra (10-14, 1-8 CAA), coming back by scoring in each of the final five innings, capped by a two-out, two-run ninth inning single by Jake Lysaght to take the lead for the first time and for good.
 
Riding a seven-inning, one-run start by Nick Janowicz, Towson took a 3-1 lead into the ninth.  Hofstra tied the game with a two-run home run, but Towson took the lead on an RBI walk in the 10^th by Matt Arceo and held off Hofstra in the bottom of the frame to take the doubleheader sweep.
 
With the wins, Towson is a half-game out of first place in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) North behind Northeastern.
 
Key Stats:

• Three Towson batters combined to go 4-for-9 in the two games: Noah Cabrera was a home run short of the cycle on the day, adding an RBI and stolen base, Javon Fields scored three times, drove in two, stole a base and had a double while Nolan Young had two runs and an RBI.  Jake Lysaght combined to go 3-for-5 with the go-ahead two-run single in game two and a walk.
• Josh Seils started game one without a decision, going five innings with six runs.  Matt Watters went one-and-two-thirds scoreless in relief.  Jake Pecilunas (3-3) finished the eighth and got the first two outs of the ninth for a scoreless inning and a strikeout, with Austin Weber picking up his fourth save with a strikeout to complete the ninth.  For game two, Nick Janowicz tied his longest start of the year, going seven innings with one run and seven strikeouts in the no-decision.  Though Kody Reeser (3-3) had a blown save in the ninth inning, he recovered and held in the 10^th for the win, compiling three innings with two runs and five strikeouts.
• For Hofstra, Ryan Morash was 4-for-8 with two runs and an RBI while Rob Weissheier ad the game-tying two-run home run in the ninth of game two, finishing 3-for-8 with two runs and a walk.  Neither start got a decision: Jack Jett went six innings in game one with three runs and six strikeouts while Mark Faello also had a six-inning outing, striking out four and allowing two runs.  Game one closer John Mikolaicyk (0-3) had a blown save and defeat with three runs charged in the ninth, while Tristan Nemjo (0-1) had the unearned run in one-third of a frame in the 10^th of game two.

How It Happened (Game 1):

• Josh Seils pitched a clean first inning, inducing an inning-ending double play to finish the first, but in the bottom of the second, Hofstra used four hits and a pair of free passes to combine for five runs and lead 5-0.
• The Pride added another run in the bottom of the fourth off a double play ball to make it 6-0.
• Towson looked to come back, beginning with a Billy Godrick two-out RBI single to left in the fifth inning.
• In the sixth, Noah Cabrera had a smart triple on a liner up the middle, taking second then moving to third which was left unoccupied by the Hofstra fielders.  Javon Fields sent a pitch back to center field for an RBI single and score Cabrera.  Fields got second on a wild pitch and third on a balk, then took home on a Burke Camper sacrifice fly to make it 6-3 Hofstra.
• Next inning, Towson pieced together four hits to begin the seventh, a Jacob Terao bunt single, a Danny Becerra double, a Godrick RBI single and a Nolan Young RBI single to add two more and bring Towson within one.
• Towson tied the game in the top of the eighth. With second and third and one out, a ground out by Terao allowed Jake Lysaght to score and even up the game at six.
• Hofstra took back the lead in the next half-inning, plating one on an RBI fielder's choice, then another on an RBI double to center, to lead 8-6.
• The Tigers had one inning left to push, seeing Becerra and Godrick reach on free passes, then Young advance them on a sacrifice bunt.  Cabrera brought home Becerra on a sacrifice fly, then Fields hit an infield single plus stole second to set up second and third with two out.  Lysaght knocked the ball through the right side to bring in both Godrick and Fields to give Towson its first lead at 9-8.
• Jake Pecilunas induced a fly out and foul out for the first two batters of the ninth, then Austin Weber struck out Brian Goulard to finish the game and complete the comeback.  Towson took the victory 9-8.

How It Happened (Game 2):

• The second game began as a pitcher's duel as Nick Janowicz and Mark Faello went through the first three innings without a run allowed.
• Nolan Young began the top of the fourth with a single, taking second on a wild pitch and third on a strikeout throw to first.  Next batter, Javon Fields hit a single to left to bring in Young and give Towson a 1-0 lead.
• As Janowicz continued to hold down the Pride, Towson added another in the top of the sixth.  Young reached on an error and took third on a Noah Cabrera double to the left-center wall.  Two batters later, Brandon Austin hit a sacrifice fly to right to score Young and push Towson up 2-0.
• Janowicz pitched a scoreless game until the seventh as Hofstra got a two-out RBI single to make it 2-1 Towson.
• Kody Reeser threw a 1-2-3 eighth, then in the top of the ninth, Towson got the bases loaded.  With two out and a full count, Danny Becerra drew the walk to add the insurance run for a 3-1 advantage.
• Hofstra hit the first home run of the doubleheader, a two-run shot to right-center by Rob Weissheier, to force extra innings with a 3-3 tie.
• Getting a free baserunner in the 10^th per NCAA extra inning rules, Young earned a bunt single, then Cabrera got an infield single to load the bases.  Two batters later, Matt Arceo walked to push a runner home, giving Towson the lead 4-3.
• Reeser stayed on for the 10^th as Hofstra got its runner on second to begin.  Reeser struck out all three batters to hold the lead as Towson took the victory 4-3.

Inside the Numbers:

• Towson has won six of its last seven games against Hofstra, including four victories in Hempstead.
• As a team, Towson has 54 stolen bases, ninth all-time in single season program history.
• Josh Seils made his 30^th career start on the mound in game one, tying him for seventh all-time in Towson history.
• Jake Pecilunas made his 71^st career appearance for Towson, putting him along in fourth place in Towson history in that category.

Next Game:
Towson comes back to University Field tomorrow for another 11 a.m. doubleheader at Hofstra.
 
- TowsonTigers.com –