April 13, 2005
Box Score
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y.-The trio of Kevin Shurtleff, Kevin Kelly and Robert Ryan shut down visiting New York Institute of Technology over the final 4.2 innings of Wednesday's contest to lift the Marist baseball squad to a 5-3 victory over the Bears at the McCann Baseball Field. Marist, winners of its last four and 10 of the past 13, moved to 11-14 overall, while the Bears dropped to 9-14.
Shurtleff (1-0) picked up the first win of his career, blanking NYIT over 1.2 innings, allowing just one hit and two walks. Bears starter Tom Park (0-5) suffered his fifth straight loss, giving up five runs on seven hits to go with a pair of strikeouts and walks in five innings. Ryan pitched a perfect ninth inning for his fourth save of the season.
Second baseman Travis Musolf and right fielder Keith Brachold led Marist with two hits apiece, while left fielder Thomas Ciccarone had two RBI. Shortstop Andy Kiriakedes once again led the Red Foxes with two runs scored. Shortstop Mike MacMillan and designated hitter Bryan Pastor topped NYIT with a pair of hits as well.
It looked as if Marist would continue its red-hot hitting in the bottom the first when the Red Foxes answered an RBI double by Pastor in the top of the first with four of their own in the bottom half of the inning. After Park loaded the bases and forced a run in on a walk to designated hitter Andy Kiriakedes. Lepore then raced home for the final run of the inning on center fielder Kevin Grauer's groundout.
NYIT closed the gap back to within one on sacrifice flies from third baseman Mike Laluna in the fourth and MacMillan in the fifth. However, Marist's Brachold pushed the lead back out two at 5-3 with a run-scoring single through the left side, scoring Kiriakedes who reached earlier on a single himself. The hit was Brachold's team-leading 18th RBI of the season.
Shurtleff came on in relief of Red Foxes' starter Jeff Hanson, who lasted 4.1 innings and allowed three runs on six hits to go with two strikeouts. Shurtleff gave way to Kelly, who tossed two innings of one-hit ball.
Musolf stole his team-leading 13th base in the first inning.
The Red Foxes will back in action Saturday when they host league foe Le Moyne in a doubleheader beginning at noon. NYIT will host Sacred Heart in a doubleheader on Saturday, also beginning at noon.
