by Vinny Messana
Monmouth put together a ninth inning rally against Adam Heidenfelder in the ninth inning to defeat Hofstra 5-4 this afternoon.
It was the sixth consecutive loss for the Pride, and the third that was decided by one run.
They led 4-2 in the seventh inning after Vito Friscia ripped an opposite field double to right center field to score Ryan Karl and increase their lead.
Friscia also smacked a first inning home run to left field to give the Pride a 2-1 lead. It was the first of his collegiate career.
Karl drove in Tom Archer with an RBI single in the fifth inning as well.
Teddy Cillis got the start for the Pride. After allowing a leadoff double, throwing a wild pitch and allowing a sacrifice fly in the first inning, he was dominant over the next two innings.
He was relieved by Chris Bonk, who allowed a run in the fifth inning on a wild pitch and a solo home run in the sixth inning.
Andrew Mundy came in and threw a clean sixth inning, but allowed the game tying home run to Grant Lamberton in the seventh inning.
The Pride had a chance to regain the lead in their half of the seventh when Karl hit a one-out single to right field. After a sacrifice bunt by Cillis, Friscia was intentionally walked to bring up a lefty-lefty matchup against Mat Annunziata. He just missed hitting a three-run shot, but the right fielder tracked it down at the warning track.
They went down silently in the next two innings and dropped the ballgame 5-4.
They will be back in action this weekend in Virginia for a three-game set against the College of William & Mary as they look to open up conference play on the right foot.
