May 14, 2011
Game One Box Score | Game Two Box Score
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - The Marist baseball program honored the seven members of it senior class prior to Saturday's Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) doubleheader against Iona, and all seven played a part in the Red Foxes' doubleheader sweep of the Gaels at McCann Baseball Field. The Red Foxes won the seven-inning first game 3-1, and took the second game 6-2 to complete a three-game series sweep.
In game one, red-shirt senior right-handed pitcher Eric Alessio (Nyack, N.Y.) started and pitched 5.2 shutout innings with six strikeouts to earn the victory as he improved to 4-2. Senior right-hander Kyle Putnam (New Windsor, N.Y.) came on to record the final four outs for his second save of the season.
In the second game, senior left-hander Sean McKeown (Hillsborough, N.J.) struck out a career-high eight and allowed just four hits, two walks and one unearned run over 7.2 innings - the longest outing of his career - as he improved to 6-1. Senior right-hander Brendan Chapin (South Weymouth, Mass.) recorded the final four outs, two of which were strikeouts.
Offensively, senior center fielder Michael Gallic (Tolland, Conn.) went 3-for-5 with three runs scored and an RBI on the day. Red-shirt senior catcher Bryce Nugent (Binghamton, N.Y.) went 2-for-3 with an RBI in game one, and senior left fielder/catcher Ricky Pacione (Newburgh, N.Y.) added a hit and a run scored on the day.
The Red Foxes opened the scoring in the first game with two runs in the second. Gallic led off the inning with a single, advanced to third one batter later on a fielding error, and then scored from third on an error on a pickoff play. A sacrifice fly by junior designated hitter Eric Helmrich (Yonkers, N.Y.) brought home sophomore shortstop Zach Shank (Lititz, Pa.) with Marist's second run. Gallic then scored Marist's third run in the fourth inning when he singled and eventually came home on a wild pitch.
Iona starter Justin Wiley (6-4) pitched a complete game, but took the game one loss. Just one of the three runs he allowed was earned. Shortstop Matthew Kriss went 3-for-3 for the Gaels.
Marist broke open a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fifth in the second game. Freshman second baseman Nick McQuail (Wantagh, N.Y.) - who went 3-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI in the game - led off with a double, and later scored on a two-out single by sophomore first baseman Mike Orefice (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.).
The Red Foxes then broke the game open with three runs in the sixth. Gallic led off with a triple to the gap in left-center, and scored on a single by Shank. After the first sacrifice bunt of Nugent's career moved Shank to second, he scored on an RBI single by Helmrich, who advanced to second on the throw home. McQuail followed with an RBI single to plate Helmrich and put the Red Foxes up 4-0.
Iona scored once in its half of the seventh, but Marist answered with two in the bottom half. Orefice drew a four-pitch walk to lead off the inning, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Gallic. Nugent then drove Pacione in with a single for Marist's final run.
Eddie Macaluso (3-6) went the first seven innings for Iona and took the loss. Left fielder Chris Burke had two of the Gaels' five hits, including a solo home run in the ninth inning.
Marist improved to 34-15 overall and is now 12-9 in the MAAC. The 34 wins are the second most the Red Foxes have had in program history, trailing only the 41 wins posted by the 2002 team. Iona fell to 17-31 overall and 7-14 in the MAAC.
The Red Foxes will close out the regular season with a three-game series at Siena, as the teams will play a doubleheader on Thursday and a single game on Friday. With two wins, Marist can secure a spot in the 2011 MAAC Baseball Championships, which will open on May 26 at Waterfront Park in Trenton, N.J.
