David D'Errico Shining as Hofstra Baseball's Number One Starter

 Courtesy Hofstra Athletic Communications

With his first season of collegiate baseball under his belt as well as a summer competing in the Western Major Baseball League in Canada, Hofstra sophomore pitcher David D'Errico has been riding high with confidence in 2011 in his second year as the ace of the Pride pitching staff.

In his first five Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) starts this year D'Errico has allowed only five earned runs with Hofstra going 4-1 in those key conference games. Thanks in large part to D'Errico Hofstra is very much alive midway through the CAA season to reach the four-team conference tournament in May.

“One year of experience pitching in college and a whole season of summer ball gives you a lot more confidence,” said D'Errico of the extra comfort level he feels in his second season taking the mound for the Pride. “I definitely feel a lot more comfortable this year than last year.”

Hofstra baseball head coach Patrick Anderson has also noticed a difference in D'Errico command as a sophomore going all the way back to the fall season. “He’s been more consistent in the strike zone and is just feeling confident about himself,” said Anderson. “He believes in his stuff and he believes in the guys behind him.”

D'Errico arrived at Hofstra after a distinguished baseball career at North Kingstown High School in Rhode Island where he was a First team All-Rhode Island selection as a junior and senior. He got thrown into the fire right away as a freshman at Hofstra becoming the Pride’s number one starter during the CAA schedule and earned a key win at Northeastern where he allowed just two runs in eight innings of work.

D’Errico arrived on Long Island with some familiarity thanks to his high school baseball and football teammate and “best friend” Cody Normand also deciding to select Hofstra for his collegiate career on the diamond. “Cody has actually been my best friend since like fourth grade so it was so ironic that we ended up going to the same college,” said D’Errico.

In his eight appearances this season D'Errico has recorded 26 strikeouts and given up only 14 walks. Prior to Friday’s game at Northeastern where he suffered a hard-luck 3-0 loss after giving up just two earned runs in eight innings of work, D'Errico was 3-0 with a 1.82 earned run average in his previous three starts. He tosses his first complete game in a 6-2 Hofstra win at William & Mary on April 1.

“He’s a hard worker and very humble,” said Anderson of D'Errico, who was also a star football player in high school earning Gatorade Rhode Island Football Player of the Year honors his senior season. “He’s a great teammate and the guys love him.”