POUGHKEEPSIE, NEW YORK – The Marist baseball team (9-16, 4-5 MAAC) had a solid defensive effort all around to grind out a 3-2 win over Niagara (8-18-2, 5-4) on Sunday afternoon.

Redshirt sophomore right fielder Zachary Racusin (Mendham, New Jersey) went 2-for-3 with one RBI and one run scored. Junior second basemen Joey Aiola (Suffern, New York) was 2-for-4 with one run scored, while senior catcher Mark Swertfager (Katonah, New York) was 1-for-2 with the game winning RBI.

In a low scoring game that saw excellent displays of pitching on both sides, the Red Foxes were the first team that found themselves crossing home plate. In the fourth inning Racusin singled to left field and Pagano scored to give Marist a 1-0 lead.

In the sixth inning the Red Foxes added to their lead when Racusin scored off a bases loaded walk. In the next at bat Swertfager stood tough in the batter's box and took a pitch off his side bringing in the third run of the game for the Red Foxes. The Purple Eagles didn't go away quietly, and scored two runs in their next at bat bringing the score to 3-2. In the top of the ninth with a runner on first and one out Niagara hit into a double play to end the game.

Senior left-handed pitcher Rich Vrana (Lindenhurst, New York) pitched an efficient 6.0 innings and picked up the win for Marist. Vrana (2-3) gave up eight hits, with two earned runs and two strikeouts. Liam Stroud (1-5), who pitched 5.2 innings, got the loss for Niagara. Sophomore right-hander Tyler Dearden got the save for the Red Foxes. Dearden pitched 3.0 innings and gave up zero hits and zero earned runs with two strikeouts.

The Red Foxes return to action on Wednesday, April 15 for a doubleheader on the road at Binghamton. The first game is scheduled to start at 2 p.m.