May 15, 2009

Box Score

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. -- The Marist baseball team scored four times in the bottom of the ninth to earn an 8-7 win over Fairfield in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game on Tuesday. A three-run home run by senior right fielder Kyle Meyer (East Greensbush, N.Y.) tied the game in the ninth, and junior first baseman Ryan Gauck (Clifton Park, N.Y.) drew a bases-loaded walk with two outs on a 3-2 pitch to force home the winning run.

With the win, the Red Foxes improve to 13-9 in conference play. They can clinch a MAAC Tournament berth by either sweeping Fairfield in a doubleheader or with one Rider loss in its doubleheader against Saint Peter's. Both the Marist-Fairfield and Saint Peter's-Rider doubleheaders will start at noon on Saturday, with a seven-inning game preceding a nine-inning game.

Senior closer Jacob Wiley (Cape Vincent, N.Y.) pitched a scoreless ninth to earn the win, improving to 6-1 on the season. Wiley retired the side in order and struck out two.

Fairfield started the scoring in the top of the first on a two-run homer by second baseman Tucker Nathans. The Stags added a run in the second to make it 3-0. The Red Foxes cut it to 3-1 in the fifth when Gauck led off the inning with a triple to deep center before coming around to score on an RBI groundout by junior second baseman John Prano (Oviedo, Fla.). However, Fairfield scored three times in the seventh and once in the eighth to expand its lead to 7-1.

Prano led off the Marist eighth with a single to right, and Meyer followed with a double to left to put runners on second and third. Junior shortstop Richard Curylo (Staten Island, N.Y.) then reached on an infield error, which allowed both Prano and Meyer to score, cutting Fairfield's lead to 7-3. Senior left fielder Brian McDonough (Hanover, Mass.) then singled through the right side, scoring Curylo to make the score 7-4.

Freshman designated hitter George Agostini (Rehoboth, Mass.) led off the inning with a walk, and Prano followed with a walk. Meyer then hit a three-run homer to left field, tying the score at seven. After the next two batters were retired, sophomore third baseman Ricky Pacione (Newburgh, N.Y.) walked, and that was followed by a walk to red-shirt sophomore catcher Bryce Nugent (Binghamton, N.Y.). After McDonough reached on an infield error to load the bases, Gauck walked to force home Pacione with the winning run.

Rob Gariano started for Fairfield and went the first innings, allowing eight hits and striking out seven without walking anyone. Two of the four runs he allowed were unearned. Justin Cervino (1-3) took the loss for the Stags, who fell to 20-25 overall and 10-12 in the MAAC.

Prior to Saturday's Marist-Fairfield doubleheader, the program will honor its eight-member senior class - McDonough, Meyer, Wiley, infielder Kenny Anderson (Randolph, N.J.), pitcher Peter Barone (Hauppauge, N.Y.), infielder Dan Gallagher (Middletown, N.J.), pitcher Josh Rickards (Glenolden, Pa.) and catcher Andrew Stanton (Delmar, N.Y.) - as part of its annual Senior Day ceremony.