GREENSBORO, North Carolina – The Red Foxes snapped a three game winning streak on Friday, dropping Game 1 of their weekend series at the UNC Greensboro Spartans by a final score of 16-3 on Friday. With the loss, Marist drops to 5-8 (0-0 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) while the win brings the Spartans to 12-5 (0-0 Southern Conference).

Sophomore Greg Kocinski led the team, going 2-for-4 with a three run home run, his first of the season. Senior co-captain Graham McIntire chipped in with a 1-for-3 effort at the plate, while the team totaled five hits on the evening.

Junior Sean Keenan picked up his second loss of the season, throwing five and two third innings, giving up seven runs on nine hits to go along with one walk and four strikeouts. Sophomore Mike Coss pitched one third of an inning and gave up one run on two hits, freshman Spencer Bunting threw one inning, giving up four runs on four hits and freshman Tyler Poulin pitched one inning and gave up four runs on two hits.

Junior Jake Kusz led the Spartans, going 4-for-5 with a home run, six runs batted in and four runs scored. UNC Greensboro totaled 17 hits on the night.

The Red Foxes opened the scoring in the top of the first inning when McIntire doubled to right field and freshman Andrew Rouse was hit by a pitch. Kocinski followed with three run homer to right field and Marist led 3-0.

The Spartans answered back in the bottom of the second. Senior Collin Woody led off with a double. Two batters later, junior Ryne Sigmon walked and Kusz followed with a three run home run to left field, tying the game 3-3.

UNC Greensboro added to their lead in the bottom of the fourth when junior Dillon Stewart was hit by a pitch and Sigmon singled up the middle, setting up men on first and third with no outs. Two batters later, freshman Andrew Moritz hit a sac fly to right field, scoring Stewart and the Spartans led 4-3. During the next at bat, Sigmon stole second before freshman Cesar Trejo knocked a single to right that scored Sigmon and gave the Spartans the 5-3 advantage. Junior Ben Spitznagel followed with a double that advanced Trejo to third but a beautiful relay between Marist's Tyler Kirkpatrick, John Brucker and Matt Iantosca nailed Trejo at home and kept the score 5-3 in favor of the home team.

The Spartans continued their trend of scoring during an even numbered inning in the bottom of the sixth. Sigmon singled with one out and Kusz singled through the left side, advancing Sigmon to third, setting up men on first and third with one out. Moritz followed with a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Sigmon and UNC Greensboro led 6-3. A Marist pitching change brought on Coss and Spitznagel followed with a bunt single that scored Kusz and extended the Spartan lead to 7-3.

In the bottom of the seventh, senior L.J. Kalawaia led off with a solo home run. A second Red Fox pitching change brought on Bunting and Woody made it back-to-back homers with a solo shot to left that gave UNC Greensboro the 9-3 lead. Sigmon walked two batters later and stole second, before Kusz sent a double to right field that scoed Sigmon. Moritz followed with a triple to center that scored Kusz and the Spartans held an 11-3 advantage. Trejo made it three consecutive hits with a single through the left side and Moritz scored with the score 12-3 in favor of the home team.

The Spartans scored for the third consecutive inning in the bottom of the eight. Poulin replaced Bunting on the mound for Marist. Woody led off with a double, Stewart walked and Sigmon reached on a fielding error by the second baseman, scoring Woody. Kusz doubled to center, scoring Stewart and Woody and Moritz followed with an RBI ground out to shortstop that scored Sigmon. Trejor walked and Kusz scored on a wild pitch, giving UNC Greensboro the 16-3 lead.

The Red Foxes kept fighting despite trailing by 13 runs but were unable to mount a comeback as the game ended with the home team walking away with the 16-3 win.

Up next for Marist is Game 2 at UNC Greensboro. First pitch is scheduled for 2 P.M.