May 15, 2010
Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - The Marist baseball team split a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) doubleheader with Canisius on Saturday. Marist won game one 7-5 as they erased a five-run deficit, and fell 14-13 in eight innings in game two. In the second game, the Red Foxes forced extra innings as they came back from down 11 runs.
In game two, Marist senior first baseman Ryan Gauck (Clifton Park, N.Y.) went 5-for-5 with a run scored and two RBis, giving him three 5-for-5 performances in his last five games.
In game one, Canisius scored twice in the first, twice in the third and once in the fourth to go up 5-0. The Red Foxes clawed their way back into the game with four runs in the fifth. They got on the scoreboard when freshman first baseman Ricky Pacione (Newburgh, N.Y.) brought in senior second baseman John Prano (Oviedo, Fla.) to make it 5-2, and red-shirt junior catcher Bryce Nugent's (Binghamton, N.Y.) scored senior shortstop Richard Curylo (Staten Island, N.Y.) and Orefice to make the score 5-4.
Marist tied the game in the sixth as Gauck once again started a rally with a lead-off walk. He scored on a two-out single by Curylo.
With two outs in the eighth, Prano and Curylo drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. Orefice then singled through the right side, which scored freshman third baseman Sean McKeown (Hillsborough, N.J.) induced a 4-6-3 double play off the bat of Canisius designated hitter Ian Choy to end the game.
McKeown earned his seventh save of the year, and freshman left-hander Kyle Putnam (New Windsor, N.Y.) started for the Red Foxes and battled his way through seven-plus innings. Putnam scattered 11 hits and gave up five runs, but did not walk anyone and struck out two.
Billy Martin took the loss for Canisius to fall to 4-4. Martin pitched the final two innings in relief of starter Mike Goemans, who went the first six innings and allowed five hits, five runs and four walks. Goemans did not record a strikeout.
Orefice finished with three RBIs in the first game, and Nugent went 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Shank and Prano scored two runs apiece. For Canisius, Choy went 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI, and first baseman Brian Burton went 3-for-4 with an RBI. Second baseman Steve McQuail went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, two RBIs, a double and his 18th home run of the season.
In game two, Canisius stormed out to an 11-0 lead with three runs in the first followed by eight in the second. In the third, the Golden Griffins scored their runs on four straight bases-loaded walks followed by a grand slam from Burton. However, Marist answered right back by scoring eight times itself in the third, with five coming after there were two outs. Nugent and Curylo both had two-run doubles in the inning.
Canisius scored twice in its half of the fourth to make it 13-8, but the Red Foxes made 13-10 in the bottom of the inning when junior right fielder Michael Gallic (Tolland, Conn.) hit his team-leading fifth home run of the season, a blast off the left-field foul pole. The Red Foxes cut their deficit to two an inning later when Prano led off with a double and scored on a two-out single by Pacione.
In the sixth, Orefice's two-out single scored Shank to make the score 13-12. Marist tied the game at 13 apiece in the bottom of the seventh when Gauck doubled to the left-center gap with two outs, which brought home Pacione.
However, Canisius re-claimed the lead in the top of the eighth as Perry Silverman's two-out single brought home Brad Medici with what proved to be the game-winning run. Canisius' Shayne Willson, who came in from right field to attempt to close the game in the seventh, stayed in to pitch a 1-2-3 eighth as he improved to 2-0 on the season.
Freshman right-hander Brett Houseal (Hempfield, Pa.), the last of five Marist pitchers in the second game, took the loss to fall to 1-1.
The Red Foxes outhit the Golden Griffins 21-11 in the second game, but Marist pitchers issued 11 walks as opposed to just two for Canisius. Pacione finished 4-for-5 with an RBI and run scored, and Prano and Orefice each finished with three hits apiece.
Canisius now stands 35-17 overall and 17-3 in the MAAC. With the win in game two, the Golden Griffins clinched the MAAC regular-season championship and top seed in the conference championships, which will be held May 26-29 at Dutchess Stadium in Fishkill, N.Y. The Red Foxes are now 29-20 overall and 12-8 in the MAAC. Marist sits in third place, one-half game behind second-place Manhattan and one-half game ahead of Rider and Siena, who are tied for fourth.
Marist and Canisius will close their three-game series tomorrow with a single game at noon. Prior to the game, the program's annual Senior Day ceremony will be held.
