March 5, 2006

Game 1 Final Stats
Game 2 Final Stats

NORFOLK, Va. -- Marist swept a non-conference baseball doubleheader from Norfolk State on Saturday at Marty L. Miller Field, 9-4 and 4-2.

The Red Foxes (2-3) used four-run innings in both games to take two from NSU (6-10).

In game 1, Marist scored four times in the second, then four more in the seventh. Kyle Meyer ripped a three-run triple in the second to give Marist a 4-0 lead. Marist made it 5-0 in the fourth when Justin Lepore scored on a fielder's choice grounder by Travis Musolf.

The Spartans rallied to within 5-4 in the bottom of the sixth. T.J. Starkey, Moriba George and Anselmo Cantu hit run-scoring singles in the inning, and Rocco Savage drove in another run with a fielder's choice.

But Robert Ryan retired NSU catcher Alfred Profeet with runners on second and third in the bottom of the sixth to help preserve the Red Foxes' lead.

Marist added insurance in the seventh. Pat Feeney had an RBI single and Kevin Grauer a three-run double to give Marist a 9-4 lead.

Lepore, Meyer and Bryan Towler had two hits apiece. Starkey was 2-for-3 for NSU.

In game 2, Marist scored four times in the top of the second off NSU starter Luke Foss. Lepore and Max Most singled to lead off the inning, and Brian Gibbs knocked in Lepore with an RBI groundout. Musolf scored Most with a double to left center, and Feeney, who went 3-for-4, capped the inning with a two-run double.

The Spartans scored two unearned runs off Marist starter Bobby Hastry (1-1) in the fourth. Marist committed three errors in the inning.

Ryan came on to pick up his second save of the afternoon, pitching a scoreless inning and a third. Hastry got the win after allowing just one hit over five innings. He struck out five.

Foss (1-2) took the loss for NSU, allowing five hits and four runs in two innings. Mark Young pitched five scoreless innings of relief.

The teams conclude their three-game series at noon on Sunday.