May 20, 2005
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y.-Chris Tracz posted another masterful performance, while the Red Foxes' offense came alive in the second game Friday as Marist swept Iona at Salesian Field in a doubleheader by scores of 8-0 and 16-2. Marist improved to 29-19 overall and 21-5 in the league, while Iona dropped to 11-37 overall and 8-17 in MAAC play.
The Red Foxes can wrap up the top seed in next week's MAAC Tournament (Dutchess Stadium-Fishkill, N.Y.) by knocking off Iona in Sunday's series finale, which starts at 11 a.m. If the Red Foxes lose, Siena (19-5, .792 MAAC), which swept defending champion Le Moyne this week, will claim the top spot. If Sunday's game cannot be played due to inclement weather, Marist would still retain the top seed for the championship because of a higher league winning percentage than the Saints (.808 to .792). Regardless of seed, Marist will face either Niagara (16-9 MAAC, .640) or Manhattan (14-8, .636 MAAC) on Thursday at 7 p.m. in the Tournament. Manhattan can clinch the third seed with a win Saturday at Fairfield (12 p.m.). If the Jaspers lose or cannot play that contest, Niagara will clinch the third seed because of a higher league winning percentage.
Tracz (9-3) tossed eight innings in game one Friday, limiting the Gaels to just seven hits and one walk, while whiffing seven. The North Branford, Conn. native is now 9-0 in league play this season with an ERA of 1.83. Bobby Hastry came on in the ninth to get the final three outs, with a walk serving as his only blemish. Iona's James Kosky (2-3) took the loss, giving up five runs on 14 hits in 7.2 innings, while striking out one and walking one.
Marist was led by three hits apiece from center fielder Travis Musolf, designated hitter Kevin Buck and left fielder Thomas Ciccarone. Buck and shortstop Andy Kiriakedes scored a pair of funs, while right fielder Kevin Grauer scored two runs. Second baseman Ed Hackimer led Iona with two hits.
Erik Supplee (5-4) took the win in the second game, going five innings and allowing two runs on four hits with two strikeouts. Kevin Kelly tossed the final two innings, allowing just two hits. Iona's Kevin Carmody (1-3) suffered the loss, yielding five earned runs on eight hits.
The Red Foxes were led in hitting by Kiriakedes' four hits and Towler's five RBI. Kiriakedes and Musolf also scored three runs in the contest. Iona was led by designated hitter Nick Conte's two hits.
The Red Foxes broke out on top in the top of the third with three runs on four hits. Buck, catcher Bryan Towler and Ciccarone all notched RBI singles in the frame.
In the eighth, first baseman Keith Brachold scored third baseman Pat Feeney with a single up the middle, while Kiriakedes raced home one batter later on Brachold's steal attempt.
Marist tacked on three more in the ninth on four hits off Iona reliever Nick Stanziani for the final margin. Grauer scored two runs with a single to left field, while Ciccarone scored on Feeney's sacrifice fly to left field.
Brachold stole his 10th base of the season in the fifth inning.
Marist jumped out quickly in the second game, scoring three in the first inning and four in the second. Kiriakedes got the Red Foxes on the board with an RBI single, followed by Towler's double to center and first baseman Kenny Anderson's single to left.
In the second, Marist plated four runs on four hits, which included a sacrifice fly from Brachold, another RBI single by Towler, a sacrifice squeeze bunt by Ciccarone and an RBI single to center by Buck.
Iona answered in the bottom half of the second with a run when Conte scored on third baseman A.J. Dederick's fielder's choice.
Marist answered right back in the top of the third with a run of its own as Feeney scored from third on a wild pitch by Iona reliever Shane Sveda.
The Red Foxes blew the game open in the top of the fifth with six runs on four hits to make the score 14-1. Feeney stared the scoring with an RBI groundout, while second baseman Joe Sargent came home on Musolf's single to left. Towler had the big hit of the inning, scoring three runs on a single to left, which was aided by a fielding error by Iona center fielder Dan Potocki. Towler scored the final run of the inning on Buck's single to left.
Iona fought back in the bottom half of the fifth with another run, this one coming on an RBI double to left by pinch hitter Ralph Marzella.
The Red Foxes tallied two more in the top of the seventh off Iona's Rich Connolly for the final margin. Feeney and Grauer recorded a sacrifice fly and an RBI single to center, respectively, in the inning.
Musolf (25) and Feeney (6) also recorded stolen bases during the contest.
