Box Score WEST HARTFORD, CONN. – The Marist baseball team (4-10) extended its winning streak to three games with an 8-1 victory over Hartford (7-10) on Tuesday afternoon.
Senior first basemen Steve Laurino (Carle Place, N.Y.) had a huge day for the Red Foxes, going 4-for-5 from the plate with two RBI's and had three runs scored. Junior center fielder Graham McIntire (Concord, N.H.) scored three runs for the Red Foxes and was 1-for-3 with one RBI. Sophomore designated hitter Tyler Kirkpatrick (Eagleville, Pa.) had two RBI's, was 1-for-4 at the plate with two runs scored, while junior shortstop John Brucker (Sparta, N.J.) was 2-for-4 with one run scored.
The Red Foxes jumped out to a lead early in the game scoring two runs in the top of the first inning. After Kirkpatrick was hit by a pitch and stole second base, McIntire singled to right center field driving in Kirkpatrick for the first run of the game. In the next at bat Laurino singled through the right side allowing McIntire to advance to third. A fielder's choice hit by junior left fielder Matt Pagano (Cranston, R.I.) allowed McIntire to score the second Red Foxes run of the game. Both teams were held scoreless until the fourth inning. In the top of the fourth, a single to center field by senior second basemen Alec Petrone (Mahopac, N.Y.) drove in Brucker for the third run of the game for Marist. In the next at bat, Kirkpatrick sent one over the left field wall for a two-run homerun to give the Red Foxes a 5-0 lead going into the bottom of the fourth. Hartford scored its only run of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning after Erik Ostberg stole second base allowing Trey Stover to steal home.
The Red Foxes kept the scoring going in the fifth inning, grabbing two more runs to extend their lead to 7-1. McIntire would start out the inning being hit by a pitch. With Laurino at the plate in the next at bat a double to left center field allowed McIntire to reach home. Two batters later, redshirt sophomore Zachary Racusin (Mendham, N.J.) singled through the right side driving in Laurino for the seventh run of the game for Marist. The Red Foxes got their last run of the game in the ninth inning. McIntire reached on a fielder's choice before Laurino doubled to right field driving in the final run of the game.
Sophomore right-handed pitcher Tyler Dearden (LaGrange, N.Y.) (1-1), who pitched 5.0 innings, picked up the win for Marist. Dearden gave up five hits with, one unearned run, and struck out six batters with no walks in five innings. Hartford's Brian Murphy (0-2) pitched 2.0 innings and gave up two earned runs and two hits to pick up the loss.
The Red Foxes return to action Saturday, March 28 for their first Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference games of the season. Marist will play host to Iona for a doubleheader with the first game scheduled for 12 p.m. The games are being played at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, N.Y.
