NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. - The Marist baseball team dropped its series opener against Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) foe Niagara 9-6 at Sal Maglie Stadium on Saturday.
Red-shirt junior designated hitter Ben Luderer (River Vale, N.J.) went 2-for-4 with three RBIs. Luderer also had a double and a sacrifice fly. Freshman second baseman Alec Petrone (Mahopac, N.Y.) was 3-for-5 with a run scored. Junior shortstop Zach Shank (Lititz, Pa.) went 2-for-4 with three runs scored and an RBI. Freshman catcher Mark Swertfager (Katonah, N.Y.) came off the bench to go 2-for-3 with an RBI.
Marist took the early lead with two runs in the top of the first. Petrone led off with a single, and scored on a single by Shank, who would come home on a sacrifice fly by Luderer. Niagara took the lead with four run in the second, and then scored twice more in the third to lead 6-3 after three. The Purple Eagles then added a pair of in the sixth and one in the seventh to go up 9-3.
The Red Foxes then mounted a rally in the late innings. With two outs in the eighth, a single by red-shirt sophomore center fielder Mark Stuckey (Marietta, Pa.) brought home sophomore infielder Nick McQuail (Wantagh, N.Y.). In the ninth, the Red Foxes loaded the bases, and a two-out infield single by Luderer brought home sophomore right fielder Jake Berry (South Hamilton, Mass.), who started the rally with an infield single of his own. Swertfager followed with a single to score Shank and make the score 9-6, but that was as close as the Red Foxes would get.
Red-shirt senior lefty Chad Gallagher (Southboro, Mass.) took the loss. Gallagher (3-3) went five-plus innings, and allowed eight runs, two of which were unearned. He gave up 10 hits, did not walk a batter, and struck out five. Freshman right-hander Evan Davis (Little Falls, N.Y.) allowed one unearned run in the sixth and seventh, and sophomore right-hander Chris Thorsen (Lititz, Pa.) kept Niagara off the scoreboard in the eighth.
Every Purple Eagle had a hit, as Niagara had 12 for the game. Third baseman Eric Hink, first baseman Ryan McCauley and center fielder Wynton Bernard had two hits apiece. Shortstop Jon Wilson drove in three.
Niagara starter Jim Fort (2-1) went the first eight innings to get the win. Fort allowed 10 hits, four runs and no walks as he struck out five. Geoff Soja came in to get the final out for his first save of the season.
Marist is now 7-13 overall and 2-2 in the MAAC; Niagara is 9-13 overall and 2-2 in the MAAC. The teams will conclude their series with a doubleheader on Sunday. Junior right-hander
Chris Bielak (Sayreville, N.J.) is scheduled to start for the Red Foxes in game one, which will be seven innings, and junior right-hander
Brett Houseal (Landisville, Pa.) is scheduled to start the nine-inning second game for Marist.
