May 23, 2003
Box Score
Fishkill, NY -- Chris Tracz tossed a six-hit masterpiece in the second elimination game at the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Tournament, to propel Marist past Manhattan 2-1. The Red Foxes advance to take on LeMoyne at 1:00 pm on Saturday, needing two wins to extend their MAAC Championship streak to four.
After stranding the tying and go-ahead runs in the top of the ninth against LeMoyne, falling 4-3 in the winners bracket game, Tracz was nearly unhittable in his complete game win. he allowed a run in the top of the third inning, and six hits in the first five-innings, but retired the last 10 Manhattan batters to stymie the Jaspers offense. Tracz finished with six strikeouts, while walking only one, as he wins his 29th career game, a school record, and becomes the first Marist pitcher to win nine or more games in three seperate seasons.
Tim Allen added another chapter to his tournament book in the sixth-inning, tying the game with a two-out solo-homerun over the left field fence. The homerun was nearly identical to the one that he hit in the winners bracket game in the 2002 MAAC Tournament, which propeled Marist to its third straight MAAC title.
Marist scored the game-winning-run in the seventh-inning, as John McGorty led off with a double to right center field. He advanced to third when Jimmy Board hit a deep fly ball to right field. Kevin Grauer followed with a single to past the drawn in Manhattan second baseman, to plate McGorty and give Tracz all the runs he would need.
The Red Foxes are now 33-19-1 on the year, and have won at least 33 games for each of the last three seasons.
