March 29, 2006

Final Stats

After 24 combined hits and nine full innings of play, the Hofstra Pride and Siena Saints ended this afternoon's game in a tie in the top of the tenth due to darkness.

With the tie, the Pride moves to 10-16-1, while Siena goes to 3-16-1.

The first inning alone accounted for ten combined runs. In Siena's half of the inning, a Rick Seltzer single to right scored Gabe Perez, who reached on a walk to lead-off the game. John Wilkes singled home two more runs later in the inning and Michael Ambury had an RBI hit as well.

Hofstra answered quickly as Andy Campana drove the first pitch into left field for a single to start the Pride offense. After a stolen base by Campana and a walk by senior Josh Stern, lined a base hit up the middle to bring Campana home and put the Pride on the board. Then Ricky Caputo hit a home run, which brought the Pride within two of the Saints, 6-4.

The offensive battle continued as Siena put up two runs in the second highlighted by a Chris Klepps homerun. The Saints added two runs in the third inning as Matt Gidaly and Perez led off the inning with hits and Gidaly scorted on a balk. Eric Hildenbrand, who wlaked with the bases loaded in the first to force home a run, was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the third to make the score 10-7.

In the fifth, Hofstra's lineup managed to rally for five runs on just one hit. Senior captain Steve Oliveri led off the inning with an infield single and first baseman Mike Walsh followed with a walk. After Siena pitcher J.J. Potrikus bobbled a routine sacrifice bunt by freshman Tony Schmitt, tings started to unravel. Designated hitter Matt Kougasian reached on a walk that plated Oliveri and Siena shortstop Chris Klepps followed with a throwing error that allowed Schmitt and Walsh to score. At the end of five, the score was 12-10 in favor of Hofstra.

Siena answered with three quick runs in the top of the sixth, highlighted by Jake Willis' two RBI single, but the Pride battled back and tied the game at 13 in the bottom of the seventh.

In the top of the ninth, with the sun going down, Siena threatened, but freshman third baseman Tom Legregni made his second great snag of the day ending the Saint rally and giving Hofstra a chance to win it the ninth.

In the bottom of the ninth, with two outs and a runner on third, Siena right fielder John Wilkes made a fantastic diving catch on a ball that looked like it would drop and give the Pride the victory. Instead, the game ended in a 13-13 tie on account of darkness.

Siena returns to MAAC action this weekend at Rider.