April 14, 2010
Box Score
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - Behind six strong innings from freshman right-hander Jon Schwind (Hilton, N.Y.) and a three-hit day from freshman first baseman Mike Orefice (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.), the Marist baseball team cruised to an 11-2 win over Albany in a non-conference game at McCann Baseball Field on Wednesday.
After Houseal allowed two runs in with just one out in the first, he was able to settle down and retire 12 straight Albany batters in a row until a base hit by pitcher Nolan Gaige in the fifth. Houseal gave up six hits on the day and added three strikeouts en route to earning his first collegiate victory. It was the longest outing of his career.
The Red Foxes responded to being down 2-0 after the top of the first with a three-run inning. After the first three Marist hitters walked, Bryce Nugent's (Binghamton, N.Y.) RBI single made the score 2-1. Schwind added an RBI single to tie the score, and the Red Foxes took the lead for good when junior catcher Ricky Pacione (Newburgh, N.Y.) scored on a double play.
In the third inning, it was Nugent and Schwind again with another RBI apiece on groundouts to give Marist a 5-2 lead.
With one out in the fifth and two runners on for Albany, right fielder Michael Gallic (Tolland, Conn.) made a leaping grab on a drive against the wall in right field for the second out in the inning. With runners on first and third and two outs, Houseal induced a liner to second baseman Zach Shank (Lititz, Pa.) to escape the jam.
With two outs in the top of the sixth, Albany's Adam Cutspec lined a base hit passed the left side of the infield. When Albany's Pete Eichner attempted to score from second, left fielder Mark Stuckey (Marietta, Pa.) unleashed a bullet to home plate to cut down Eichner and end the inning.
In the bottom of the sixth, Marist was able to add some insurance runs with two outs. Gallic drove in Nugent with a double to right field for the first run in the inning. After sophomore third baseman Eric Helmrich (Yonkers, N.Y.) walked, the runners advanced on a passed ball. Stuckey then drove in Gallic with an RBI single up the middle to make it 7-2.
Marist added three runs in the seventh, first on an RBI single by Pacione, then on a two-run single by Schwind for his third and fourth RBIs of the game. Senior pitcher Richard Cary (Binghamton, N.Y.) got the save for Marist by pitching three scoreless innings of relief. Cary gave up just one hit in struck out three in his three innings of work.
The win improves Marist to 20-11 overall; Albany fell to 2-23. The Red Foxes have now won four straight and 17 of their last 21.
The Red Foxes will return to action this weekend when they travel to Niagara University to take on the Purple Eagles in a three-game series Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) series. The two teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday, April 17 starting at noon. The final game of the series will be played on Sunday noon. Marist and Niagara are currently tied for second in the MAAC at 7-2.
