May 7, 2011
Game One Box Score | Game Two Box Score
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - The Marist baseball team (31-15) split a non-conference doubleheader with La Salle (24-18) of the Atlantic-10 Conference on Saturday at McCann Baseball Field. The Red Foxes won the first game 2-1, but suffered a 4-1 loss in the second game.
Reigning MAAC Pitcher of the Week Brendan Chapin (South Weymouth, Mass.) came on to get the last four outs to record his team leading fourth save of the season.
All of the first-game scoring for Marist happened in the second. Sophomore shortstop Bryce Nugent (Binghamton, N.Y.) followed with an infield hit that Shank did not advance on. After the runners moved to second and third on a sacrifice bunt by junior designated hitter Eric Helmrich (Yonkers, N.Y.), freshman second baseman Nick McQuail (Wantagh, N.Y.) laid down a bunt single that scored Shank from third. Nugent would then score on a passed ball to give Marist a 2-0 lead.
La Salle attempted to start a rally with two outs in the top half of the seventh inning. After a two- out single from junior Tony Negrin, fellow junior Brendan Norton smashed a double that scored Negrin from first base. Chapin came on to relieve Gallagher at that point, and retired Dan Klem on a groundout to end the inning. Chapin then finished the game with a 1-2-3 ninth.
Left-hander Eric Van Wyk (3-2) suffered the loss for La Salle despite allowing only four hits in a complete game. He walked one and struck out one.
In the second game, La Salle scored all of its runs in the first three innings with one in the first, two in the second and one in the third. La Salle designated hitter Adam Kammler went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI, the only player on either team to have a multi-hit performance in either game. His solo home run in the third inning was the first by an opponent at McCann Baseball Field this season.
Red-shirt senior right-hander Eric Alessio (Nyack, N.Y.) took the loss for the Red Foxes, allowing three earned runs and six hits over four innings of work. Alessio also struck out six batters and did walked just one as he fell to 3-2. Sophomore right-hander Sean McKeown (Hillsborough, N.J.) and senior right-hander Kyle Putnam (New Windsor, N.Y.) each tossed a scoreless inning of relief.
Marist scored its only run of the second game in the second inning on an RBI double by Helmrich, which plated Shank, who had reached on an error.
La Salle right-hander Kevin Fuqua tossed a complete game three-hitter as he improved to 5-4 on the year. Fuqua threw 61 of his 78 pitches for strikes, did not issue a walk and struck out four. The only run he permitted was unearned.
The Red Foxes return to Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play next weekend with a three- game series against Iona. First pitch for Friday's game is scheduled for 3:30. The final two games of the series will be played as a doubleheader on Saturday starting at noon. Next weekend is also the final home series of the season for the Red Foxes, who will hold their annual Senior Day ceremony prior to Saturday's doubleheader.
