Feb. 26, 2011
Box Score
WILMINGTON, N.C. - The Marist baseball team defeated host UNC Wilmington by a score of 5-4 on Friday in the first game of the Hughes Bros. Challenge. The Red Foxes turned a triple play in the fifth inning to preserve their lead, and threw out the potential tying run at the plate in the ninth to hold on.
With the Red Foxes holding a 3-1 lead in the fifth, UNC Wilmington had runners on first and second with no one out. Center fielder Michael Bass then hit a line drive at Marist second baseman Nick McQuail (Wantagh, N.Y.), who made the catch for the first out, stepped on second for the second out, and then threw to first baseman Mike Orefice (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.) to complete the triple play.
After UNC Wilmington struck first for a run in its half of the first, the Red Foxes bounced back with three in their half of the second, all of which came with two outs. Sophomore right fielder Mark Stuckey (Marietta, Pa.) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force home a run. Orefice followed with a bases-loaded walk to force home the Red Foxes' second run, and then McQuail scored on a passed ball to put Marist up 3-1.
The Red Foxes maintained that lead until the bottom of the seventh, when UNC Wilmington cut its deficit to 3-2. However, Marist responded with a pair of key insurance runs in the top of the eighth. After sophomore third baseman Jon Schwind (Hilton, N.Y.) drew a one-out walk, senior center fielder Michael Gallic (Tolland, Conn.) doubled to score Schwind. The Red Foxes added another run on a throwing error to take a 5-2 advantage.
UNC Wilmington struck for two runs in the bottom of the eighth on a pair of sacrifice flies to make the score 5-4 Marist. With one out in the bottom of the ninth and Cameron Cockman on second, Thomas Pope singled to left field, but Marist left fielder Ricky Pacione (Newburgh, N.Y.) cut down Cockman at the plate for the second out. Red-shirt senior right-hander Eric Alessio (Nyack, N.Y.) then struck out Bass to end the game.
UNC Wilmington outhit Marist 10-6. Gallic was the lone Red Fox to enjoy a multi-hit game, as he went 3-for-4.
Sophomore left-hander Dan Zlotnick (Katonah, N.Y.) earned his first win of the season. Zlotnick went 6.2 innings, and allowed just six hits, two walks and two runs while striking out two. Alessio recorded the final five outs to earn his first save of the year.
Marist returns to action in the Hughes Bros. Challenge on Saturday, when they face West Virginia at noon. Red-shirt junior left-hander Chad Gallagher (Southboro, Mass.) is Marist's scheduled starter.
