May 11, 2002
Box Score
Poughkeepsie, NY - The Marist College baseball team swept a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) double-header from Siena College, 3-2 and 2-1, this afternoon on the McCann Baseball Field, tying the school records for wins in a season with 33. Marist improved to 33-11 on the year, 19-4 in the MAAC, and won 33 games for the third straight season. Siena falls to 25-25 on the year at to 15-7 in MAAC play, as Marist moves into first place alone after LeMoyne split a double-header with Niagara.
Siena struck first in the opener as Fausto Franco scored on an errant throw from Jimmy Willis (Ft. Montgomery, NY). Willis atoned for the error with a one out single in the bottom of the inning. Matt Griffiths (Los Altos, CA) followed with a single to right field and then Willis scored on a Steve O'Sullivan (Bronx, NY) single through the right side, which advanced Griffiths to third, allowing him to score on a Joey Salazar (Houston, TX) sacrifice fly.
Siena would tie the score at 2-2 in the sixth inning on an RBI single from Jim Buckley. The Red Foxes answered with the game-winning run in the bottom half of the inning as O'Sullivan reached second on an error to lead off the inning. O'Sullivan scored on a fielder's choice as Mike Sidoti (Staten Island, NY) beat out the throw to first base on the back end of a double-play attempt.
Chris Homer (Jamesville, NY) pitched a perfect ninth inning, with one strikeout, to record the save.
Homer earned his second save of the day, and ninth on the year, as he pitched the seventh inning in the night cap. After striking out the first two batters, he allowed a solo homerun by Matt Mueller, before striking out the final batter to secure the 2-1 victory. Homer finished the day with two innings of work, striking out four and walking none. Kevin Ool (Middletown, NY) took the win, improving to 8-3 on the season. In his six innings of work, Ool allowed six hits, struck out four, walked none and gave up no runs.
Marist scored in the first inning when O'Sullivan led off with an infield single. He moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and Anthony Bocchino (Brooklyn, NY) drove him in with a double down the right field line. Tim Allen (Wappingers Falls, NY) led off the second inning with a triple, but was thrown out on the plate as John McGorty (West Sayville, NY) reached on a fielders choice. Willis singled through the right side and McGorty advanced to third, scoring on a single by Griffiths.
The Red Foxes scored all the runs they would need in their first at-bat in the opening game. Steve O'Sullivan (Bronx, NY) singled through the left side on the first pitch offered in the inning, followed by a Joey Salazar (Houston, TX) single through the right side. After a groundout and a strike out, John McGorty (West Sayville, NY) singled to left field, driving in both O'Sullivan and Salazar for a 2-0 lead.
Griffiths went 3-5 with and RBI and a run, while Willis was 2-4 with a run scored. Marist had 13 hits on the day, while Siena had 12.
Marist and Siena will complete the three-game weekend series on Sunday, May 12th in a nine-inning game scheduled to begin at 10:00 am, on the McCann Baseball Field. The Red Foxes have won 25 of their last 27 games, and are 15-1 at home.
