POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - The Marist baseball team was defeated by Saint Peter's 5-2 in the opener of a three-game Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) series at McCann Baseball Field on Thursday.
Saint Peter's starter Zach Hopf went the first eight-plus innings for the Peacocks, and allowed just two hits, two walks and two unearned runs. Hopf struck out three as he improved to 2-5. Dom Macaluso retired all three batters he faced in the ninth to record his third save.
An RBI single by Saint Peter's third baseman Brian Koster opened the scoring in the fourth. The Peacocks then scored four runs in the fifth. An RBI double by shortstop Justyn Carter made the score 2-0. Then, with the bases loaded, designated hitter Brian Schroeder lined a ball into the right-center gap which cleared the bases and made the score 5-0. The inning ended when Schroeder was tagged out heading back to first base. Marist contended that Schroeder had missed first when he was initially headed to second base - which would have resulted in a force play, and would have nullified all three runs scoring - but it was ruled that Schroeder had touched first initially, making all three runs count.
Hopf took a no-hitter into the sixth, an inning which started for the Red Foxes with sophomore third baseman Nick McQuail (Wantagh, N.Y.) reaching on an error. First baseman Pat Welsh (Millersville, Pa.) followed by getting hit by a pitch. With one out, freshman second baseman Alec Petrone (Mahopac, N.Y.) had the Red Foxes' first hit of the game, a bad-hop single to right which scored McQuail. Sophomore right fielder Jake Berry (South Hamilton, Mass.) followed with an RBI groundout, which brought home Welsh to make the score 5-2.
Petrone also had Marist's only other hit, a single down the left field line to start the ninth. He was the last batter Hopf faced before he gave way to Macaluso.
Junior right-hander Brett Houseal (Landisville, Pa.) took the loss for Marist and is now 0-5. Houseal went the first five innings, and allowed five hits, all five Saint Peter's runs (four earned), and two walks. He struck out seven. Freshman right-hander Evan Davis (Little Falls, N.Y.) pitched 3.1 scoreless innings of relief, and sophomore right-hander Kevin McCarthy (Malverne, N.Y.) got the final two outs of the ninth.
Marist is now 7-16 overall and 2-4 in the MAAC. The Red Foxes have dropped six straight. Saint Peter's, which has won eight of its last 10, is now 11-18 overall and 3-1 in MAAC play.
Marist and Saint Peter's will resume their three-game series on Saturday with a doubleheader starting at noon. The first game will be seven innings, followed by a nine-inning second game.
