April 1, 2009
Box Score
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - Sophomore second baseman Ricky Pacione (Newburgh, N.Y.) hit a two-run walk-off home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, giving the Marist baseball team a 5-4 victory over Binghamton in a non-conference game at McCann Baseball Field on Wednesday. Pacione hit a 1-1 pitch over the wall in right-center field for his team-leading sixth home run of the season as Marist improved to 13-9.
Binghamton's Greg Lane, who had come on to pitch with one out in the eighth, struck out the first two Marist hitters to start the ninth. Pinch-hitter John Prano (Oviedo, Fla.) drew a full-count walk, setting the stage for Pacione's heroics.
Marist junior right-hander Richard Cary (Binghamton, N.Y.) started for the Red Foxes, and allowed just one unearned run in 5.2 innings. Cary allowed five hits and three walks while striking out five. Senior right-hander Jacob Wiley (Cape Vincent, N.Y.) picked up the win in relief, improving to 4-1.
The Bearcats scored first with a run in the top of the second, with the Red Foxes answered with two in their half of the third. Marist tied the game at one apiece on a fielder's choice off the bat of junior first baseman Ryan Gauck (Clifton Park, N.Y.), scoring senior right fielder Kyle Meyer (East Greenbush, N.Y.). Pacione followed with an RBI single, which scored sophomore center fielder Michael Gallic (Tolland, Conn.) to put Marist up 2-1.
A two-out RBI single by Binghamton's C.J. Lukaszewski in the top of the eighth tied the score at two. With runners at the corners and one out in the bottom of the eighth, an RBI single by senior left fielder Brian McDonough (Hanover, Mass.) put Marist back in the lead by a score of 3-2. However, Binghamton took back the lead by scoring twice in the top of the ninth.
Pacione finished 2-for-5 with three RBIs. Meyer and freshman third baseman George Agostini (Rehoboth, Mass.) each had two hits apiece.
Marist is now 4-0 at McCann Baseball Field this season.
The Red Foxes return to action on Thursday, when they take on NJIT in a non-conference game. First pitch is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
