Ryan Morash was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth, giving third-seeded Hofstra a 7-6 walk-off victory over #5 Northeastern to capture its first CAA Baseball Championship on Sunday afternoon at Latham Park.
It was the season-best ninth straight win and ninth walk-off victory of the year for Hofstra (30-21), which earned an automatic berth to the NCAA Baseball Championship for the first time in school history under first-year head coach Frank Catalanotto. The Pride won all four tournament games by one run in their final at-bat, including three walk-offs.
Northeastern, which was playing in the CAA championship game for the third time since 2018, ended its season at 31-29-1.
Hofstra senior pitcher Brad Camarda was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player after limiting NU to four runs over 7.0 innings in his third appearance and second start in five days. The right-hander went 1-0 and gave up five runs in 15.0 innings of work during the event. Reliever Zack Bailey (1-0) recorded the win on Sunday after entering a tie game with two runners in scoring position and retiring both batters he faced.
Hofstra didn’t waste any time getting its offense going. Anthony D’Onofrio led off the bottom of the first with a homer to left, and Will Kennedy followed with a solo shot to center. Brian Morrell kept the momentum going by doubling off the wall in left-center, and he would come home on a two-out double down the left-field line by Santino Rosso, making it 3-0.
After being held to two hits over the first four innings, Northeastern got rolling in the fifth. Following a leadoff single by Luke Beckstein and a Buddy Mrowka walk, Spenser Smith lined a RBI double to left center to put the Huskies on the board. Back-to-back walks to Jeff Costello and Corey DiLoreto forced in another run and JP Olson’s sacrifice fly tied the game at 3-3.
The Pride was kept off the board for five consecutive innings by Huskies’ reliever Jake Gigliotti before breaking through in the sixth. Rosso tripled into the right-field corner to start the frame, and Ryan Morash brought him home with a base hit to left. Singles from D’Onofrio and Morrell plated Morash and increased Hofstra’s lead to 5-3.
The teams traded runs in the seventh. Doubles from Luke Masiuk and DiLoreto pulled Northeastern within 5-4, but Hofstra regained its advantage when Steve Harrington smacked a solo homer to left.
The Huskies battled back once again in the top of the ninth. Smith drew a one-out walk and Costello singled. DiLoreto followed with a liner off the foot of Hofstra reliever Michael O’Hanlon, allowing Smith to score. JP Olson then doubled down the left-field line, tying the game at 6-6.
However, as it had during the entire tournament, Hofstra responded in the bottom of the ninth. Morrell doubled off the wall in left-center to start the inning. Walks to Harrington and Rosso loaded the bases with two out before Morash was hit by a breaking pitch to force in the winning run.
Morrell finished 4-for-5 with two runs scored, while D’Onofrio, Kennedy, Rosso and Morash each contributed two hits.
For Northeastern, DiLoreto was 2-for-4 and drove in three. Beckstein and Smith also had a pair of hits.
Hofstra became the 10th different school since 2009 to claim the CAA Baseball Championship. The conference title was the first for Hofstra in program history.
CAA All-Tournament Team
Mark Faello, Hofstra
Trotter Harlan, Charleston
Will Kennedy, Hofstra
Brian Morrell, Hofstra
JP Olson, Northeastern
Trey Pooser, Charleston
Santino Rosso, Hofstra
Cam Schlittler, Northeastern
Spenser Smith, Northeastern
Luke Stephenson, Elon
Most Outstanding Player: Brad Camarda, Hofstra
Original source can be found here.
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