HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (Interstat) — Carter Harrington pitched five hitless innings and the College of Charleston offense struck for four runs in the first inning to set the tone in a 5-1 victory over Hofstra in a Colonial Athletic Association baseball game Friday evening.

The Cougars (6-7, 1-0 CAA) handed the Pride (0-7, 0-1) its seventh straight loss to open the season behind a dominant start and early run support.

Harrington, the top star for Charleston, was flawless. The right-hander struck out five and walked two over five scoreless frames, never allowing a Hofstra baserunner to reach via hit. He extended a run of strong relief outings into his first start of the campaign, lowering his ERA and stifling the Pride lineup.

Charleston’s bats provided all the necessary offense in the top of the first against Hofstra starter Jackson Hamilton, who recorded only one out. After a walk to Amman and a single by Penfield, Dylan Johnson loaded the bases with another single. Following a strikeout, Ethan Plyler delivered the key blow, a two-run double to right-center field that scored Amman and Penfield. Two more runs would cross on productive outs, including a sacrifice fly in the second and a double play grounder in the third that plated a run, staking Harrington to a 5-0 lead.

Hofstra’s bullpen, led by Jackson Bauer and Michael D’Ambrosio, kept the game from slipping further away. Bauer allowed one run on four hits over four innings of relief after entering in the fourth, with the lone damage a solo home run by Johnson in the fifth. D’Ambrosio followed with two perfect innings, striking out two.

The Pride offense, however, could not solve the Charleston pitching staff. Harrington’s exit after the fifth did not provide relief, as Cougar relievers Ryan Hench and Kaden Myers each tossed a scoreless inning. Hofstra grounded into three double plays, squandering any potential rallies.

The most important sequence of the game came in the bottom of the eighth inning, with Charleston leading 5-0. After Kurt Rogers entered for the Cougars and issued a leadoff walk, the Pride threatened. But Rogers induced a 4-6-3 double play from Griggs, immediately erasing the baserunner. A subsequent double by Melara went for naught as the next batter grounded out, preserving the five-run cushion and effectively sealing the outcome.

Hofstra avoided the shutout in the ninth inning against Rogers. Daniel Escalante, who had three of Hofstra’s six hits, doubled with two outs and scored on an RBI single by Leonard. Rogers then ended the game with a strikeout, his second of the inning.

Johnson finished 2 for 5 with a home run and an RBI for Charleston. Escalante was the lone bright spot for Hofstra, going 3 for 4 with a double.

Interstat’s ELO system had projected College of Charleston with a 76.40 percent probability to win.

The two teams continue their three-game series on Saturday.