LAWRENCEVILLE, New Jersey – The Red Foxes are back over .500, sweeping a doubleheader against the Rider University Broncs on Saturday by final scores of 6-2 and 12-4. With the wins, Marist improves to 23-22 (12-8 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) while the losses drop Rider to 16-31 (8-12 MAAC).

Graham McIntire led the Red Foxes on the afternoon going a combined 7-for-10 with three runs scored and three RBI. Anthony Lazar went a combined 4-for-7 with a home run, two runs scored and three RBI, Joey Aiola finished with a combined 3-for-8 effort including a home run, two runs scored and three RBI and John Brucker chipped in a combined 3-for-8 effort with two runs scored and one RBI.

In Game 1, Tyler Kirkpatrick went 1-for-4 with one run scored, while in the second game Frankie Gregoire went 2-for-3 with one run scored and two RBI, Zachary Racusin finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBI, Matt Iantosca chipped in a 1-for-2 effort with two runs scored and Andrew Rouse finished with one run scored.

Charlie Jerla picked up his eighth win of the year in the first game, throwing seven innings while giving up one run on six hits with four walks and five strikeouts. Scott Boches pitched one inning and gave up no runs on no hits with one strike out and Ryan Thomas pitched one inning, surrendering one run on one hit with two strikeouts.

In the second game, Mike Coss picked up his first win of the year, throwing six innings and giving up three runs on six hits with one walk and six strikeouts. Spencer Bunting pitched one inning and gave up one run on no hits with four walks.

GAME 1:

Pitching and defense highlighted the first four inning as neither team was able to score.

Rider got on the board first in the bottom of the fifth when Riley Mihalik led off with a solo home run to right field for the 1-0 lead.

The Red Foxes answered in the top of the seventh when Lazar led off with a solo shot to left field and it was 1-1.

The very next inning in the top of the eighth, Marist added to its lead. Aiola doubled to right center with one out and advanced to third on a wild pitch during the next at bat. Gregoire was intentionally walked before Iantosca reached on a sacrifice bunt before advancing to third and Gregoire and Aiola scored on a throwing error by the catcher and it was 3-1 Red Foxes.

For the third consecutive inning, Marist scored in the top of the ninth when Brucker led off with a single, McIntire singled on a bunt, and following a strike out, Kirkpatrick walked to load the bases. After a pitching change for Rider, Aiola grounded out to the second baseman, scoring Brucker and advancing Kirkpatrick and McIntire to second and third with two outs. During the next at bat, McIntire scored on a wild pitch and the lead was 6-1 Red Foxes.

Thomas came into pitch for Marist in the bottom of the seventh and got two quick outs on a ground out to himself and a strike out looking before Brennan McAllister pinch hit for Jack Finn and homered down the right field line to make it 6-2. However, Thomas got the next batter to strike out, giving Marist the 6-2 victory.

GAME 2:

Building off the momentum of the first game, the Red Fox offense got going in the top of the second when Iantosca led off with a walk and stole second during the next at bat. Racusin followed with a single, scoring Iantosca and it was 1-0. Racusin advanced to second on a passed ball during the next at bat, before Rouse walked. A ground out to the second baseman advanced Rouse to second and Racusin to third and McIntire singled to the shortstop, scoring Racusin and advancing Rouse to third. Lazar followed with a sac bunt that scored Rouse and Gregoire then ripped a double to right field that scored McIntire and it was 4-1 Marist.

Picking up where they left off, the Red Foxes scored again in the top of third. Kirkpatrick reached on a fielding error by the third baseman to lead off and advanced to second. Iantosca single to right to set up men on first and third and Racusin picked up his second single of the game that scored Kirkpatrick and advanced Iantosca to second. Rouse followed with a sac bunt to set up men on second and third with one out and Brucker followed with an RBI ground out to the second baseman that scored Iantosca to make it 6-1 Marist. McIntire then ripped a double to left center, scoring Racusin and the Red Foxes were ahead 7-1.

Two innings later, Marist extended its' lead even more when Brucker singled up the middle with two outs. McIntire ripped his second double of the afternoon, this time to right center, which scored Brucker before the Broncs made a pitching change. McIntire advanced to third on passed ball during the next at bat before Lazar singled to left, scoring McIntire and Gregoire laced a double to left center that scored Lazar and it was 10-1 Red Foxes. Following the second pitching change of the inning, Aiola jacked a home run to right field that scored Lazar and Marist was ahead 12-1.

Rider got two runs back in the bottom of the sixth. Mihalik doubled to right center with one out and Andrew Tumbelty followed with a triple to left center that scored Mihalik. Tyler Kaiser was hit by a pitch, Richie Tecco reached on a fielder's choice that saw Kaiser reached second on a throwing error by the shortstop and Tumbelty scored to trim the score to 12-3 Marist.

In the bottom of the seventh, Bunting replaced Coss and Dallas Clark walked for the Broncs and advanced to second on a ground out to the third baseman. Following a pop out to the shortstop, Mike Maldonado walked, McAllister pinch hit and walked and the bases were loaded with two outs. Tumbelty followed with the fourth walk of the inning that allowed Clark to score but the next batter flied out to center field and the Red Foxes were victorious 12-4.

Up next, Marist will play the third and final game of the series at Rider on Sunday at 12 PM.