FISHKILL, NEW YORK – The Marist baseball team (14-20-1, 8-7 MAAC) tied the all-time series record of Hudson Valley Baseball Classic up at 5-5 with a 3-2 win over Army on Wednesday evening.

Sophomore left fielder Tyler Kirkpatrick (Eagleville, Pennsylvania) was 2-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored. Senior catcher Mark Swertfager (Katonah, New York) had one RBI and was 1-for-4. Junior second basemen Joey Aiola (Suffern, New York) went 2-for-4 with one RBI.

The Red Foxes got on the board first in the second inning when Swertfager drove in a run off a fielder's choice hit. The game remained scoreless for both sides until the fifth inning. In the fifth, Kirkpatrick hit an RBI single to left field, and Aiola hit a RBI single up the middle to increase the lead to 3-0. In the bottom half of the inning, with an Army runner on third Laurino made an athletic grab and pitch to sophomore right-hander Tyler Dearden (LaGrangeville, New York) covering first to get out of the inning.

In the bottom of the sixth, with the bases loaded and two outs freshman left-hander Mike Coss (Pompton Lakes, New Jersey) stuck out the potential go ahead run for Army. The Red Foxes went three up and three down in the seventh, and the Black Knights got runners on second and third with two outs, but Laurino made an unassisted out to end the inning and preserve the Marist lead.

In the bottom of the eighth, Army scored its first run of the game off a single to left field. The Black Knights got their second run of the inning off another single to left field bringing the score to 3-2. With a runner on third and two outs in the bottom of the ninth sophomore closer Ryan Thomas (Ringoes, New York) struck out the final batter to end the game.

Freshman left-hander Charlie Jerla (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) pitched 3.0 innings and picked up the win for Marist. Jerla (2-0) gave up two hits and no runs with three strikeouts. Ryan Thomas pitched 1.1 innings and picked up his seventh save of the season. Army's Matt Ball (4-3), who pitched 5.0 innings, picked up the loss for the Black Knights.

The Red Foxes return to action on Saturday, May 2 for a doubleheader with Canisius. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.