April 17, 2010
Box Score
NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. - The Marist baseball team split a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) doubleheader with Niagara on Saturday on Sal Maglie Stadium. The Red Foxes dropped the first game 7-2, but rebounded for an 11-5 victory in the seven-inning second game. Junior left fielder Ricky Pacione (Newburgh, N.Y.) led Marist in game two by going 2-for-4 with three runs scored, three RBIs, two doubles and a stolen base.
Senior second baseman John Prano (Oviedo, Fla.) drove in a pair of runs in game two and hit safely in both contests, as he extended his team-best hitting streak to nine games. Sophomore center fielder Jon Schwind (Hilton, N.Y.) went 2-for-3 with an RBI, while senior shortstop Richard Curylo (Staten Island, N.Y.) and senior designated hitter Ryan Gauck (Clifton Park, N.Y.) scored two runs apiece. As a team, the Red Foxes stole four bases in the game. They also drew eight walks and were hit by three pitches.
Marist started the game two scoring with four runs in the third. Junior right fielder Michael Gallic (Tolland, Conn.), who reached after getting hit by a pitch for the 20th time this season, scored on a wild pitch for the first run of the game. Pacione followed with a two-run double, which plated both Curylo and Gauck to make the score 3-0. Pacione then stole third base, and came in to score when the throw went into left field.
With one out in the fourth, Curylo started a three-run rally by drawing a four-pitch walk. He then stole second, and advanced to third on an errant throw. With the infield in, Gauck hit a grounder to second, and Curylo scored as the throw went wide to give Marist a 5-0 lead. After Gauck stole second and then headed to third on a throwing error, Pacione drove him in with a double to make it 6-0. With two outs, Schwind's double drove home Pacione to put the Red Foxes up 7-0.
Niagara scored a pair of runs in the fourth and one in the fifth to make it 7-3, but the Red Foxes answered with four more runs in the fifth. With one out, a single by freshman first baseman Bryce Nugent (Binghamton, N.Y.). With two outs, Prano laced a two-run single to center field to score both Orefice and Shank, which closed out the scoring for the Red Foxes.
Senior right-hander B.J. Martin (Manalapan N.J.) earned game two win for the Red Foxes, as he improved to 5-1 overall. Martin, who retired the first nine batters he faced, went the first five innings. He allowed four hits, three runs and two walks while striking out three. With the win, he improved to 4-0 against MAAC opponents this season. Junior left-hander Sean McKeown (Hillsborough, N.J.) recorded the final six outs, allowing just two hits while striking out two. Tyler Scott (0-1), who started and gave up four runs in 2.2 innings, took the loss for Niagara.
In game one, Niagara senior left-hander Daniel Morari (3-5) took a shutout into the ninth inning to earn the victory. Morari gave up two runs, four hits and two walks while striking out three. Shank broke up the shutout with a two-out, two-run double, which scored Pacione and Orefice.
Junior right-hander Kyle Putnam (New Windsor, N.Y.) took the loss for Marist but pitched a complete game. Putnam allowed 14 hits, but did not walk a batter and struck out four. Left fielder Matt Wietlispach paced the Niagara offensive attack by going 4-for-4 with three runs scored and an RBI.
Marist now stands at 21-12 overall and 8-3 in the MAAC; Niagara is 12-22 overall and tied with the Red Foxes for second in the MAAC at 8-3. Both teams trail Canisius, which is 8-0 in conference play.
The Red Foxes and Purple Eagles will conclude their three-game series on Sunday at Sal Maglie Stadium, with first pitch scheduled for noon. Red-shirt sophomore left-hander Chad Gallagher (2-1, 4.26 ERA) will start for Marist, and senior right-hander Bill Rafferty (3-4, 7.01) is Niagara's scheduled starter.
