May 12, 2002
Box Score
Poughkeepsie, NY - The Marist College baseball team completed its fourth Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) series sweep, defeating Siena 10-2 in a rain shortened game on the McCann Baseball Field. The Red Foxes improve to 34-11, setting a single season record for wins, and are now 20-4 in conference play, alone in first place. The game was called in the bottom of the seventh-inning as continued heavy rain made the field unplayable.
For the second time in three games Siena got on the board first, as Ryan Finn doubled to left field with one out and after a walk to Jim Buckley, came around to scored on a double by Tony Cipolla to left center. Buckley was cut down at the plate as Matt Griffiths (Los Altos, CA) relayed the ball to Tim Allen (Wappingers Falls, NY) and on to the plate and catcher Mike Sidoti (Staten Island, NY) for the out.
Marist would answer with runs in each of the final four innings that were played. Marist tied the game in the bottom of the fourth inning when Anthony Bocchino (Brooklyn, NY) led off with a triple and scored on a sacrifice fly from John McGorty (West Sayville, NY).
Marist would add all the runs it would need in the bottom half of the fourth inning, scoring four runs, all unearned on a hit and two Siena errors. The Saints also had a wild pitch and a passed ball during the inning, which was highlighted by a two RBI double from Allen.
The Saints, who fall to 26-26 on the year and 15-8 in MAAC play, scored a run in the sixth-inning, on a Matt Mueller homerun, to cut the lead to 5-2, which the Red Foxes answered with a run in the sixth. Jimmy Willis (Fort Montgomery, NY) led off with a double and scored on a single from Joey Salazar (Houston, TX). Marist added four more runs in the seventh, on three hits and one Siena error, before the game was called due to the heavy rains.
Chuck Bechtel (Royersford, PA) earned the win for Marist as he struck out six batters in 6.1 innings of work. He allowed just two runs in the outing as he improved to 7-4 on the year. Kevin Shurtleff (Falls River, Mass.) retired the lone batter he faced with a strikeout and Brad Cook (Binghamton, NY) also tossed a third of an inning in relief for Marist.
Ken Grant took the loss for Siena, going 4.2 innings, allowing four runs, one earned, on four hits and three walks. He falls to 5-4 on the year. Josh Courage pitched the final 1.2 innings for the Saints, giving up six runs, four earned, on six hits and a walk.
Marist will play at Seton Hall on Tuesday at 3:30 pm, before wrapping up regular season play with a three-game set with MAAC foe Iona. Those games are set for Dutchess Stadium, for May 16-17th. Games will begin at 7:00 pm on Thursday, with a double-header being played Friday, beginning at 3:00 pm.
