Feb. 20, 2011

Box Score

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. - The Marist baseball team dropped the final contest of its season-opening three-game series at East Tennessee State by a score of 11-5 on Sunday. Making his first start of the season behind the plate, senior Ricky Pacione (Newburgh, N.Y.) went 2-for-5 with three runs batted in to go along with his first home run of the season.

After sophomore first baseman Mike Orefice (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.) walked to lead off the game, Pacione followed with a two-run homer to put the Red Foxes up 2-0. East Tennessee State tied the game with a pair of runs in the second, and then took the lead for good with five in the third.

Marist fought back with two runs in the fourth. Sophomore left fielder Jon Schwind (Hilton, N.Y.), who had led off the inning with a single. Freshman third baseman Bryce Nugent (Binghamton, N.Y.) to make the score 7-4.

East Tennessee State then expanded its lead with a run in the fourth, two in the fifth and one in the sixth. The Red Foxes scored the final run of the game in the eighth, when Pacione's RBI single scored sophomore left fielder Shane Matthews (Saratoga, N.Y.), who had led off the inning by drawing a walk.

East Tennessee State outhit Marist, 15-6, but the Red Foxes drew 10 walks. Welsh reached base safely three times, going 2-for-3 with a walk and an RBI. For the Buccaneers, first baseman Paul Hoilman, designated hitter Dylan Pratt and left fielder John Long had three hits apiece. Hoilman went 3-for-3 with three RBIs, three walks, a double and a stolen base.

Senior right-hander Kyle Putnam (New Windsor, N.Y.) took the loss for the Red Foxes, going the first three innings and allowing seven runs. Ben Booker pitched 1.2 innings of scoreless relief to earn the victory for East Tennessee State.

Marist (1-2) will return to action next weekend in the Hughes Bros. Challenge, which will be hosted by UNC Wilmington. The Red Foxes will face the host school on Friday, followed by West Virginia on Saturday and Miami (Ohio) on Sunday.