DAVIDSON, North Carolina -- The Red Foxes wrapped up the Davidson Tournament in style on Sunday, picking up their first win of the 2016 season, with an 8-3 victory over the University of Buffalo Bulls. The win lifts Marist to 1-2 (0-0 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) while the loss drops Buffalo to (0-3 0-0 Mid American Conference).

Freshman Tyler Kapuscinski led the Red Foxes with a 3-for-5 effort at the plate with two runs batted in. Freshman Jack Shirk extended his season opening hit steak to three games with a 2-for-4 effort with four runs batted in. Three other Red Foxes had two hits each as the team totaled 12 in the game. 

Freshman Kevin Stewart got the start pitching five innings, giving up three hits, one run on two walks and five strikeouts. Sophomore Tony Romanelli threw two innings, giving up no runs on one hit with three walks and three strikeouts. Freshman Tyler Poulin pitched 0.1 innings giving up four hits and two runs. Senior Ryan Thomas threw 1.2 innings giving up two hits with one strikeout.

Senior Matt Abrunzo led the Bulls, going 3-for-4 with one run batted in.

Marist scored in the first inning for the third game in a row, plating three runs in the top of the inning. Senior co-captain Graham McIntire led off the inning with a strike out before junior Zachary Racusin doubled down the left field line. Two batters later Kapuscinski singled to left field scoring Racusin and advanced to second on the throw to home. Senior co- captains Joey Aiola and Matt Pagano walked, setting up a bases loaded situation with two outs. Shirk followed with a two run single to left scoring Kapuscinski and Aiola to take a 3-0 lead.

In the top of the second, McIntire was hit by a pitch with one out. During the next at bat, he stole second, his first steal of the season, and advanced to third on a throwing error. Racusin followed with a RBI single to left center and Marist was ahead 4-0. 

Buffalo got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth. The first two batters grounded out to second and first base before junior Vinny Mallaro doubled to left field. Junior Chris Kwitzer singled to right, scoring Mallaro, trimming the score to 4-1 Marist. 

The score remained the same until the top of the seventh when the Red Foxes scored three more runs. Marist got back-to-back singles from Kapuscinski and Aiola before Pagano singled to left scoring Kapuscinski. During the next at bat, Aiola and Pagano advanced to third and second respectively on a wild pitch before Shirk picked up his second single of the game, scoring both runners, giving the Red Foxes a 7-1 advantage. 

In the top of the eighth, Marist extended their lead to 8-1 when McIntire reached on a throwing error by the left fielder and advanced to second. Racusin hit a sacrifice fly to center field, advancing McIntire to third. Two batters later, Kapuscinski picked up his third hit of the game, a single through the left side that scored McIntire from third.

The Bulls trimmed the lead to 8-3 in the bottom of the eighth. Poulin replaced Romanelli, who entered in the top of the sixth, at pitcher for the Red Foxes. Kwitzer doubled to left center with one out and advanced to third on a pass ball during the next at bat. Sophomore Ben Vey doubled down the left field line, scoring Kwitzer, before a single to short by freshman Conor Regan set up men on first and third for Buffalo with one out. Abrunzo singled scoring Vey and Marist made a second pitching change bringing on Thomas who ended the inning with two ground outs.

Buffalo came to bat in the bottom of the ninth down 8-3. Sophomore Ben Haefner led off with a single to center field before he was thrown at second by McIntire from center field. Senior Bobby Sheppard singled but the next two batters struck out and grounded to second to end the game with the Red Foxes emerging victorious 8-3.

Up next for the Red Foxes is a road trip to High Point, North Carolina for a three game series vs. High Point University on Friday (4 PM), Saturday (2 PM) and Sunday (1 PM).