April 6, 2003
Box Score
Poughkeepsie, NY - The Marist College Baseball Team split a double-header with Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) foe Rider, dropping a seven-inning game 2-1, and winning the nightcap 7-4. The Red Foxes improve to 14-9-1 overall and 6-3 in conference play, while the Broncs are now 9-12 on the year and 4-5 in conference action.
The opener was decided in the first inning, when Carl Loadenthal homered with two away, after Casey Long reached on a two out infield error. Marist scored a run in the fourth, when John McGorty crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly from Jimmy Board.
Chuck Bechtel (4-1) took the loss in game one for Marist, despite giving up only five hits, allowing two unearned runs. Bechtel struck out five and walked just two, while Rider starter Mike Rakoczy improved to 2-1 on the year with a four-hit, no earned run, four-strikeout effort.
Rider scored a run in the first inning of the second game, and held Marist scoreless until the third, when the Red Foxes plated four batters and took the lead for good. Keith Brachold broke the game open for good in the sixth with a two-out bases loaded double, which scored two runners. The Red Foxes added one in the seventh to secure the win.
Kevin Ool earned his first win of the year (1-0) in the second game, tossing seven innings, allowing three runs, two earned, on six hits. He struck out two in his work, and reliever George Heath struck out two in his 2.0 innings of work. The Marist duo did not walk a Rider batter and allowed only eight hits in the game. Eric Weiner (2-1) took the loss for Rider, giving up six runs, five earned on eight hits in 5.2 innings of work.
Brachold again provided the offensive punch for Marist, extending his hitting streak to nine games with hits in each game. On the day he was 3-6 with two RBI and a run scored. John McGorty was 3-5 with three runs scored in the game, while Tyler Brock went 3-4 with two RBI in the second game.
Marist is now 7-1-1 in its last nine games and has won back-to-back MAAC weekend series, sweeping Saint Peter's a week ago and taking two of three from Rider.
The Red Foxes are in action again on Tuesday, April 8 at Monmouth, and home on Wednesday against Army, at 3:30. Marist will host MAAC foe Niagara in a three-game set this Saturday and Sunday, April 12-13th, with games beginning at noon each day.
