The Elon University baseball team jumped on top of the Hofstra University Pride early, but it was not enough to win, as the Phoenix lost 6-2 on March 25 in its first Colonial Athletic Association game of the 2022 season. 

“We just got outplayed,” head coach Mike Kennedy said. “They competed more on the mound, they executed more, and they played with great energy. It looked like we kind of got on our heels a little bit. We have got to be mentally tougher.”

The Phoenix took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning when redshirt junior second baseman Carlos Marte singled to center field, driving in redshirt sophomore catcher Parker Haskin. After Hofstra took a 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth inning, Elon tied the game in the bottom of the frame with an RBI sacrifice fly from sophomore right fielder Alex Iadisernia. 

Redshirt sophomore pitcher Joe Savino started for Elon and struck out three batters in the first five innings, but also gave up ten hits. In addition, Savino gave up four earned runs and two walked batters in the loss. 

“Joe’s got good stuff,” Kennedy said. “I thought he was outstanding in his first four innings and he was in a really good place. He ended up getting hit in the back by a line drive up the middle in the fourth, and I’m not sure if that affected him or not, but overall I am very pleased with his performance tonight.”

Freshman pitcher Shea Sprague came in to relieve Savino in the top of the sixth inning, giving up two hits and zero earned runs. In the sixth inning, Hofstra’s offense began to get hot, as Hofstra junior catcher Kevin Bruggeman hit an RBI line drive to center field allowing infielder Jake Liberatore to score and take a 4-2 lead going into the bottom of the inning. 

The Pride scored two runs in the top of the ninth to take a 6-2 lead and secure the victory. Although the Hofstra offense overcame the Elon pitching staff late in the game, Kennedy said the Phoenix are looking forward to the rest of the series this weekend. 

“Hofstra didn’t drive down here, ten and a half hours to not play hard,” Kennedy said. “The biggest thing for me, what I’m trying to share with our club, is that we’ve got to be ready to roll. We weren’t ready to go tonight.”

Elon is now 11-10 on the season and has lost three straight games. The team will have two opportunities to avenge this loss, as it hosts Hofstra on March 26 and March 27 at Latham Park.

“We’ve been playing and winning well on the weekends,” Kennedy said. “We’ll roll out here and take care of business.”