Feb. 19, 2011

Box Score

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. - The Marist baseball team suffered a 9-4 loss at East Tennessee State in its season opener. The game started on Friday, was suspended by darkness, and finished Saturday afternoon.

The Red Foxes finished with six hits in the contest, two of which came off the bat of red-shirt senior catcher Bryce Nugent (Binghamton, N.Y.) in four at-bats. Nugent also hit a solo home run to lead off the sixth inning.

East Tennessee State took the early lead with two runs in the third and one in the fourth. The Red Foxes scored their first run in the top of the fifth when freshman third baseman Pat Welsh (Millersville, Pa.) singled to lead off the inning, advanced to second on a passed ball, went to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a double play groundout. After East Tennessee State scored once in the bottom of the fifth, Nugent's solo shot cut the Red Foxes' deficit to 4-2 in the sixth.

Marist tied the game in the top of seventh when an infield error allowed both sophomore right fielder Mark Stuckey (Marietta, Pa.) and sophomore first baseman Mike Orefice (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.) to score. However, East Tennessee State struck for four runs in the bottom half of the frame to take the lead for good, and added an insurance run in the eighth.

For East Tennessee State, designated hitter Dylan Pratt went 2-for-5 with three RBIs and two runs scored. Shortstop Kerry Doane, first baseman Paul Holiman and center fielder Matthew Scruggs added two hits apiece.

Scott McNally pitched two innings of relief for East Tennessee State to earn the victory. Sophomore right-hander Brett Houseal (Landisville, Pa.) took the loss in relief for the Red Foxes. Sophomore lefty Dan Zlotnick (Katonah, N.Y.) started and struck out six in 4.2 innings.

The Red Foxes resume their series against East Tennessee State with a single game on Saturday.