FISHKILL, NEW YORK – The Marist men's baseball team (6-13, 2-2 MAAC) defeated Manhattan 10-2 in the series opener on Thursday afternoon at Dutchess Stadium.

Junior centerfielder Graham McIntire (Concord, New Hampshire) was 1-for-5 with two RBIs and three runs scored. Junior leftfielder Matt Pagano (Cranston, Rhode Island) had three RBIs and one run scored on 1-for-3 at the plate. Sophomore designated hitter Tyler Kirkpatrick (Eagleville, Pennsylvania) went 2-for-5 with one RBI and one run scored.

The Red Foxes got off to a hot start and scored three runs in the top of the first inning. Kirkpatrick scored the first run of the game off a McIntire base hit. Senior first basemen Steve Laurino (Carle Place, New York) singled through the left side and drove in junior shortstop John Brucker (Sparta, New Jersey) for the second run of the game. Pagano laid down a sacrifice bunt and McIntire scored to put the Red Foxes up 3-0. In the second inning Kirkpatrick singled up the middle and junior second basemen Joey Aiola (Suffern, New York) scored.

In the fifth inning McIntire scored off a Pagano double to right field. Pagano scored a run off a throwing error on a failed pickoff attempt to give the Red Foxes a 6-0 lead. The Jaspers (7-17, 3-4 MAAC) got on the board in the bottom of the sixth inning off a two-run home run by Joe McClennan. Manhattan proceeded to get the bases loaded, but senior right-hander Chris Napolitano (Wall, New Jersey) struck out the potential game tying run to get out of the inning. In the ninth inning junior third basemen Matt Belitz (Ossining, New York) scored when McIntire singled to third base. McIntire scored off a Pagano fielder's choice hit, and Laurino scored when senior catcher Mark Brennan (Wallingford, Connecticut) hit a sacrifice fly to center field.

Napolitano (2-0), who pitched 7.0 innings, picked up the win for Marist. Napolitano gave up six hits and two earned runs with two strikeouts. Freshman left-hander Charlie Jerla (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) pitched a scorless 2.0 innings of relief, and struck out one batter. Joey Rocchietti (1-4) pitched 4.1 innings in the loss for Manhattan. Rocchietti gave up nine hits and three earned runs with one strike out.

The Red Foxes return to action on Saturday, April 4 for a doubleheader with Manhattan. First pitch is scheduled for noon.