JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. - The Marist baseball team suffered a 3-0 loss at East Tennessee State in the first game of a three-game series on Friday afternoon.

Senior right-hander Chris Bielak (Sayreville, N.J.) turned in a strong outing for the Red Foxes. Bielak (1-1) allowed just four hits and one earned run over seven innings. He struck out four, walked none and threw 68 of his 98 pitches for strikes in his first start of the season. Sophomore lefty Rich Vrana (Lindenhurst, N.Y.) relieved Bielak and got one out in the eighth, and junior righty Chris Thorsen (Lititz, Pa.) recorded the final two outs of the inning.

Marist outhit East Tennessee State by a 6-4 margin, but the Red Foxes committed six errors, which led to two unearned runs. Senior first baseman Mike Orefice (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.) had Marist's lone multi-hit game, as he went 2-for-4 with a double.

East Tennessee State got on the scoreboard first in the fourth inning on a two-run double by designated hitter Dylan Powers. Shortstop Chris Riopedre added a two-out RBI single in the seventh.

Right-hander Kerry Doane (2-0) went the distance, throwing 97 pitches and recording 62 strikes. He allowed just one walk in addition to Marist's six hits, and struck out five.

Marist fell to 2-3; East Tennessee State is now 7-2.

Game two of the series is set for 4:05 p.m. Saturday. Junior right-hander Kevin McCarthy (Malverne, N.Y.) is Marist's scheduled starter, and he will be opposed by right-hander Griffin Krieg.

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