April 6, 2011
Box Score
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. -- Red-shirt senior right-hander Eric Alessio (Nyack, N.Y.) pitched two scoreless innings to collect his first win of the season as the Marist baseball team defeated Holy Cross by a score of 6-5 in 10 innings on Wednesday. The win was the Red Foxes' fourth straight. Junior designated hitter Michael Gallic (Tolland, Conn.) each hit solo home runs as Marist fought its way back from a two-run deficit in the late innings.
Gallic went 3-for-5 with two RBIs, and Helmrich went 2-for-4. Senior catcher Ricky Pacione (Newburgh, N.Y.) also went 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI, while sophomore first baseman Mike Orefice (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.) went 2-for-4 as well. The Red Foxes outhit the Crusaders, 13-8.
After Alessio needed only four pitches to finish off his second inning of work, the Red Foxes began the bottom of the 10th with Pacione drawing a walk on a full count. Gallic singled through the left side to give the Red Foxes runners on first and second with no outs. Sophomore shortstop Zach Shank (Lititz, Pa.) then laid down a sacrifice bunt to third baseman freshman Kyle Stearns, who attempted to get Pacione out at third, but instead threw the ball away allowing Pacione to score the winning run.
Holy Cross took an early 3-0 lead by scoring twice in the second and once in the third before Marist began its comeback in the bottom of the third. Freshmen Jon Schwind (Hilton, N.Y.) was hit by a pitch to force home McQuail. Berry scored on a fielder's choice by Pacione, and Gallic singled home Schwind to tie the score.
After Holy Cross had re-taken the lead in the top half of the sixth inning by scoring two runs, Helmrich hit a home run to left field to cut the Holy Cross lead to 5-4. Then, with one out in the bottom half of the eighth, Gallic hit a home run to left-center to tie the game at 5-5.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, the Red Foxes nearly closed out the visiting Crusaders. Red-shirt senior Bryce Nugent (Binghamton, N.Y.) led off the inning with a pinch-hit single to center field. After a sacrifice bunt by McQuail and subsequent walks to Berry and Orefice, Marist had the bases loaded with only one out. Schwind then hit a fly ball to right field, and Holy Cross right fielder Brandon Cipolla made a perfect throw to the plate as freshman pinch-runner Eric Molinaro (Kingston, N.Y.) was tagged out to force extra innings.
Alessio recorded the win, improving his record to 1-1 on the season. John Colella suffered the loss for Holy Cross, dropping his record this season to 1-2.
Holy Cross was led offensively by catcher Stephen Wadsworth, who went 2-for-4 with a two-run double and a run scored.
Marist is now 21-6; Holy Cross fell to 12-15-1.
The Red Foxes conclude their mini-home stand with a three-game weekend series against Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference rival Rider. The series will begin with a doubleheader on Saturday, and concluded with a single game on Sunday. First pitch for both days is scheduled for noon.
