March 12, 2006
Final Stats
NEWARK, Del.-Junior Justin Lepore (Madison, Conn.) had three RBI, while juniors Erik Supplee (Williamsburg, Va.) and Robert Ryan (Roslindale, Mass.) notched the win and the save, respectively, as the Marist baseball team held off peskly Delaware 9-8 Sunday in Newark, Delaware. With the 2-1 series win, the Red Foxes improved to 4-5 overall, while the Blue Hens dropped to 8-3. The victory was Supplee's first (1-0) of the season and Ryan's fourth save.
The Red Foxes sprinted out to an early lead, scoring four runs in the first and five over the first two innings off of Delaware starter Mike McGuire. Marist batted around in the first inning, with the red-hot Lepore singling home two runs and first baseman Brian Gibbs (Pittsford, N.Y.) driving in two more on a double over the head of Delaware rightfielder Dan Richardson.
Delaware answered back with three in its half of the second. Brandon Menchaca continued his hot start with a leadoff double and then scored on a single by Richardson. Richardson then scored on a sacrifice fly by Brent Rogers after advancing to third on a fielder's choice. Freshman Alex Buchholz then doubled down the left field line, scoring Ryan Jablonski all the way from first and bringing the Hens to within two. The rally was halted when Marist centerfielder Max Most (Port Washington, N.Y.) made a great running catch in deep center field on a drive by Todd Davison.
The Hens came all the way back with some good old-fashioned run production in the third. After the first two batters made outs, Menchaca singled, stole second and scored on another hit by Richardson. Richardson then proceeded to steal second base and scored on Bill Merkler's hit to tie the game 5-5.
After Merkler's hit, Marist summoned Supplee from the bullpen. Supplee was able to get out of the inning and then dominated the Blue Hen batters, allowing only two hits over five innings of relief to earn his first win of the season.
After Marist took advantage of two Delaware errors to score three runs in the top half of the eighth to go up 9-5, the Hens finally started to get to Supplee in the bottom half. Merkler led off with a walk and Jablonski followed by reaching on an error. After two fielder's choices brought Merkler home with the sixth Delaware run, Davison singled to center field with one on. After Davison, Marist brought in Ryan, who immediately hit Adam Tsakonas to load the bases.
An infield single by Bryan Hagerich and a walk to Menchaca brought the Hens to within 9-8, but Ryan then got Richardson to ground into a fielder's choice to end the inning and preserve Marist's lead. Ryan worked a scoreless ninth to wrap up the win and his fourth save of the season.
Marist will now head to Lynchburg, Va. to take on Liberty in a two-game series that is set to begin Tuesday at 1 p.m.
