2022 CAA Baseball Championships

Hofstra Advances To First CAA Baseball Championship Game

Hofstra Advances To First CAA Baseball Championship Game

Third-seeded Hofstra advanced to the finals of the CAA Baseball Championship for the first time in program history, edging No. 5 Northeastern, 8-7.

May 29, 2022 by FloBaseball Staff
Hofstra Advances To First CAA Baseball Championship Game

Third-seeded Hofstra advanced to the finals of the CAA Baseball Championship for the first time in program history, edging No. 5 Northeastern, 8-7 in 10 innings for its eighth walk-off victory of the season and second of the tournament.

The Pride (29-21), which extended its winning streak to eight, will face either Northeastern or No. 1 Charleston at 11 a.m. on Sunday for the CAA title. The Huskies (30-28-1) and Cougars meet at 3 p.m. for a spot against Hofstra in the finals.

Second baseman Santino Rosso provided the game-winning hit for Hofstra, doubling down the right-field line to bring home Zack Bailey, who had opened the inning with a double down the left-field line. 

Brad Camarda (8-1), who started and threw 7.0 innings in Hofstra’s tournament-opening victory against Elon on Wednesday, came out off the bullpen and threw a perfect 10th to record his eighth win of the year.

Northeastern jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Corey DiLoreto doubled to the gap in right center, moved up on a wild pitch and came home on JP Olson’s groundout.

Hofstra responded in a big way, using the long ball to plate five runs in the bottom of the first.  Brian Morrell launched a two-run shot to left to put the Pride on top and Jake Liberatore followed with a three-run blast to left, extending the Hofstra advantage to 5-1.

The Huskies sliced the deficit in half in the second. Justin Bosland opened the frame with a double down the right field line and scored on a two-out single by Luke Masiuk. After stealing second and advancing to third on a throwing error, Masiuk came home on a Spenser Smith base hit to cut the gap to 5-3.

Northeastern pulled within 5-4 in the fourth. Back-to-back singles from Bosland and Luke Beckstein put runners on the corners. With two outs, Smith delivered once again by singling up the middle to plate Bosland.

The Huskies continued their scoring surge in the sixth. Following a one-out single by Buddy Mrowka, Masiuk hit his second homer of the season to put Northeastern on top, 6-5.

Hofstra regained its lead in the seventh. The Pride got its first two batters aboard as Michael Florides was hit by a pitch and Anthony D’Onofrio singled. A wild pitch moved both into scoring position, and back-to-back sacrifice flies from Will Kennedy and Morrell put Hofstra ahead, 7-6.

Northeastern battled back in the ninth. Jeff Costello doubled to start off the frame, advanced to third on a groundout and tied the game at 7-7 on an Olson base hit up the middle.

Morrell finished 2-for-4 with three RBI’s and Hofstra also got a pair of hits from Rosso and Steve Harrington.

For Northeastern, Masiuk finished 2-for-5 with three RBI’s, Smith was 2-for-4 with two RBI’s and Olson was 2-for-4 and drove in a pair.