DAVIDSON, North Carolina -- The Red Foxes dropped their season opener to the Davidson College Wildcats 4-3 on Friday at Wilson Field. The loss drops Marist to 0-1 (0-0 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) while the win brings Davidson to 1-0 (0-0 Atlantic 10). 

Sophomore Matt Iantosca led the Red Foxes going 2-for-3 at the plate with one walk. Senior co-captain Joey Aiola went 1-for-4 with a home run while freshman Jack Shirk went 1-for-2 with a home run, the first hit of his career. Junior Sean Keenan threw five innings, giving up two hits, one run, four walks and three strikeouts. 

Junior Jake Sidwell and senior Andrew Pope led the Wildcats, each going 2-for-3 at the plate with two and one run batted in respectively. 

Marist got on the board in the top of the first inning. Senior co-captain Joey McIntire grounded out to the shortstop before Aiola sent one over the fence in right center for the 1-0 lead. 

Davidson answered back in the bottom of the third when Brian Fortier walked to lead off the inning. The next better struck out swinging before Pope singled up the middle giving the Wildcats men on first and second with one out. Fortier advanced to third on a wild pitch before Cam Johnson walked to load the bases. Sam Foy hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Fortier and the game was even 1-1. 

The very next inning Shirk led off with a home run to left center field and the Red Foxes were back on top 2-1.

Marist held the one run lead until the bottom of the seventh when Jake Sidwell doubled to center field off sophomore Mike Coss who came on in the top of the sixth, followed by a RBI single up the middle by Pope and again the game was tied, 2-2.

The Red Foxes grabbed the lead right back in the next inning when freshman Tyler Kapuscinski walked with one out. Senior co-captain Matt Pagano followed with a double down the left line and Marist had runners on second and third with still one out. The Davidson pitcher intentionally walked Shirk to load the bases and Iantosca struck out swinging to make it bases loaded with two outs. Sophomore Andrew Rouse hit a grounder to the second baseman who made an error on the play, allowing Kapuscinski to score and the Red Foxes led 3-2.

The Wildcats answered back in the bottom of the eighth when Will Robertson reached on an error by the right fielder and advanced to second. Marist immediately brought in closer Ryan Thomas who walked the first batter he faced before getting the second to ground out to second, setting up men on second and third with two outs. Sidwell singled down the left field line scoring both runners and Davidson had their first lead of the game 4-3.

Marist did not go away quietly as Graham McIntire walked to lead off the top of the ninth. Aiola moved the runner to second with a sacrifice bunt before Zach Racusin flied out to center field. McIntire advanced to third on a wild pitch but junior Tyler Kirkpatrick flied out to right field to end the game. 

"We're disappointed in the outcome but not with our effort" said head coach Chris Tracz. "We competed on the mound and did some really good things as a team. I really like the way we attacked the game and think it was a positive first step."

The Red Foxes return to action in their second game of the Davidson Tournament when they face off against the Air Force Falcons on Saturday at 1 PM.