May 27, 2010
Box Score
FISHKILL, N.Y. - The Marist baseball team had its season come to an end on Thursday with a 6-5 loss to Manhattan in the 2010 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Championships. The Jaspers scored three runs in the top of the ninth to earn the victory.
Senior designated hitter Ryan Gauck (Clifton Park, N.Y.) went 3-for-5 at the plate with two RBIs and a run scored. Classmate John Prano (Oviedo, Fla.) and junior right fielder Michael Gallic (Tolland, Conn.) collected two hits apiece for the Red Foxes.
The second-seeded Marist offense jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second. Gallic and Gauck got the inning started with back-to-back singles, as Gallic went the other way with a 0-1 pitch into right field. Gauck grounded a base hit through the right side of the infield. After freshman Richard Curylo (Staten Island, N.Y.).
A half inning later, Manhattan responded with three runs of its own. With the bases loaded, Austin Sheffield drove a two-RBI single to right field to knot the score at two with one out in the top of the third. Anthony Armenio scored the go-ahead run on bunt single by Anthony Vega.
The Jaspers held a one-run lead until the bottom of the fifth when Marist reclaimed a two-run lead. An RBI double by Gallic scored sophomore Jon Schwind (Hilton, N.Y.) from second base, and advanced catcher Bryce Nugent (Binghamton, N.Y.) to third. The score was leveled at three after the Gallic two-base hit down the left field line. Gauck gave Marist a 5-3 advantage one batter later as he drove in both Gallic and Nugent with his second single through the right side on the day.
The game progressed without score until a 49-minute rain/lightning delay forced the teams off the field in the top of the eighth with one out. Following the stoppage, Marist starter B.J. Martin (Manalapan, N.J.) went back to the mound and got the final two outs in the eighth inning.
Manhattan used two solo home runs off the bats of Mark Onorati and Kevin Nieto. The Jaspers manufactured a third run after loading the bases with one out. Ramon Ortega hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score Chad Salem, who represented the winning run.
The Red Foxes put the tying run in scoring position with two outs for Gauck, who struck out swinging on a 0-2 pitch.
Martin went eight complete innings for Marist and was not factored into the decision. He gave up six hits, three runs, two earned runs and struck out four batters. Junior Sean McKeown (Hillsborough, N.J.) suffered the loss as he was charged with all three Jasper runs in the ninth in one-third of an inning.
John Soldinger, the MAAC Relief Pitcher of the Year, went seven innings in the start for Manhattan. He allowed 12 hits, five earned runs and struck out three batters. He was relieved by Mike Giordano who picked up his sixth win of the season in two innings of work out of the Manhattan bullpen.
The loss concludes five players' careers at Marist - Richard Cary (Nyack, N.Y.), Curylo, Gauck, Martin and Prano. The Red Foxes' season ends at 33-22.
