April 13, 2011
Box Score
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. -- The Marist baseball team defeated Albany by a score of 6-4 in a non-conference game at McCann Baseball Field on Wednesday.
Red-shirt senior designated hitter Bryce Nugent (Binghamton, N.Y.) led the offense for the Red Foxes, going 3-for-5 on the afternoon with two runs scored. Senior catcher Ricky Pacione (Newburgh, N.Y.) drove in three runs.
Sophomore right-hander Eric Alessio (Nyack, N.Y.) also went two scoreless innings. Sophomore right-hander Brett Houseal (Landisville, Pa.) pitched a perfect ninth inning to record his second save of the season.
The Red Foxes scored first in the second inning with Nugent leading off with a single to left field. Then junior third baseman Jon Schwind (Hilton, N.Y.) followed with a single to third, which put runners on first and second with no one out. After junior left fielder Eric Helmrich (Yonkers, N.Y.) was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Nugent scored on an RBI groundout by sophomore right fielder Dan Zlotnick (Katonah, N.Y.) to give Marist a 1-0 lead.
The next inning, Marist continued to pad its lead starting with a walk by McQuail and Orefice reaching on an error, putting runners at second and third with no outs. Pacione followed with a two-run single up the middle to stretch the Marist lead to 3-0 after three innings.
Then, in the fourth inning with one out, senior center fielder Michael Gallic (Tolland, Conn.) tripled to left center and scored on a passed ball on a pitch in which freshman second baseman Nick McQuail (Wantagh, N.Y.) drew a walk. Orefice followed up the McQuail walk with a single, which advanced McQuail to third base. Pacione then hit a sacrifice fly to right field that scored McQuail and gave the Red Foxes a 5-0 lead after four innings.
Albany began to cut into the Marist lead by scoring single runs in the top half of the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings to cut the Red Foxes lead to 5-3 heading into the home half of the seventh. Nugent led off by reaching on an error and advancing to second on a wild pitch before making it to third on a sacrifice bunt by Schwind. Helmrich then singled down the left field line to score Nugent and push the Red Foxes lead back to three runs at 6-3.
Albany was able to score a run in the top of the eighth inning to cut the lead back to two, but the Great Danes were unable to get any closer. Houseal needed just 10 pitches to get through the ninth and wrap up the 6-4 win for the Red Foxes.
The win improves Marist's record to 22-9, while Albany fell to 10-16 with the loss. Left fielder Nolan Gaige, right fielder Pete DiResta, and designated hitter Mike Tirri had two hits apiece for the Great Danes. Starter Brian Gauthier took the loss to fall to 0-3.
The Red Foxes return to Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play this weekend as they head to the road to face conference-leading Manhattan in a three-game series. The teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday, and a single game on Sunday. Play both days is scheduled to start at noon.
