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Box Score 2 LOUDONVILLE, New York – In their final Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference series of the year, the Red Foxes dropped a doubleheader at the Siena Saints by final scores of 9-8 (14) and 6-3 on Thursday. With the losses, Marist drops to 24-24 (13-10 MAAC) while the wins improve Siena to 22-30 (15-8 MAAC).
Despite the two defeats, the Red Foxes clinched a berth in the 2016 MAAC Championship for the second consecutive season, with two losses by Niagara vs. Canisius. The Championship will take place May 25th-28th at Dutchess Stadium in Fishkill, NY.
Anthony Lazar led Marist on the afternoon with a combined 6-for-10 effort with four runs scored and one RBI while Frankie Gregoire finished a combined 4-for-6 with two runs scored and five RBI.
In Game 1, Andrew Rouse went 3-for-6 with one run scored, Tyler Kirkpatrick finished 1-for-5 with two sac flies, a run scored and two RBI and John Brucker went 1-for-6 with a run scored. Matt Iantosca finished 1-for-3 with an RBI and Joey Aiola chipped in a 1-for-6 effort with two runs scored. The Red Foxes totaled 15 hits in the game.
In Game 2, Marist totaled five hits on the afternoon.
Scott Boches got the start in the first game and threw four plus innings, giving up seven runs on 10 hits with a walk and one strike out. Tony Romanelli pitched three innings, giving up no runs on two hits with one walk and five strikeouts, Mike Coss threw six innings and gave up one run on three hits with a walk and one strike out and Michael Hunter got his fourth loss and threw one third of an inning, giving up one run on two hits.
Charlie Jerla got the start in Game 2 and picked up his fifth loss of the year, throwing four and one third innings, while giving up six runs (four earned) on nine hits with two walks and five strikeouts. Spencer Bunting pitched two thirds of an inning and gave up just two hits and Thomas Henderson threw one inning and gave up no runs on no hits with one strikeout.
GAME 1:
The Saints got on the board first in the bottom of the first inning. Phil Madonna led off with a double to left field and following back-to-back fly outs, Fred Smart singled down the right field line, scoring Madonna and Siena was ahead 1-0.
The Red Foxes answered back in the top of the second when Aiola tripled off the right field fence before Kirkpatrick followed with a sac fly that scored Aiola and the game was tied 1-1.
For the second consecutive inning, the Saints took the lead in the bottom of the second. Dan Lowndes singled up the middle to lead off and advanced to second on a sac bunt by Ian Dillard. Ryne Martinez followed with an RBI double to left field, scoring Lowndes and Siena was back on top 2-1.
In the bottom of the third, the Saints extended their lead when Jordan Bishop singled up the middle to lead off and Jordan Folgers singled on a bunt to set up men on first and second with no outs. The runners advanced to second and third on a wild pitch during the next at bat before Smart singled to center field to score both runs. Brian Kelly followed with a sac bunt to advance Smart to second and Lowndes single through the left side, setting up men on first and third. Dillard hit a sac fly to right field that scored Smart and Siena was ahead 5-1.
Marist got two runs back in the very next inning. Lazar led off with a single to third base and Gregoire walked. Aiola reached on a fielder's choice with Gregoire out at second and it was men on first and third with one out. Aiola advanced to second on a wild pitch during the next at bat and then to third on a baulk by the pitcher that allowed Lazar to score from third. Kirkpatrick followed with his second sac fly of the game that scored Aiola and the lead was trimmed to 5-3.
In the bottom of the fifth, Folgers led off with a single through the right side for the Saints and Smart followed with a double that scored Folgers with no outs. Romanelli came in to replace Boches and got the next two batters to pop up to the shortstop and strike out looking before Dillard singled to left field, scoring Smart and the lead was 7-3 Saints.
The Red Foxes answered with a run in the top of the sixth. Following back-to-back strike outs, Kirkpatrick singled to left field and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Iantosca knocked a single to left center that scored Kirkpatrick and it was 7-4 Siena.
In the top of the seventh, Rouse led off with a single to left field and Brucker followed with a single to left field to set up men on first and third with no outs. Following a pitching change for the Saints and a fly out, Lazar ripped a single to left that scored Rouse and advanced Brucker to third. On a 1-1 pitch, Gregoire followed with a three run bomb to left center and Marist took its' first lead, 8-7.
In the bottom of the eighth, Coss replaced Romanelli on the mound and Tyler Martis singled with one out down the right field line. Madonna followed with a single through the right side to advance Martis to third before Bishop hit a ground out to the third baseman that just stayed fair and allowed Martis to score to tie the game at 8-8.
In the top of the ninth, the Red Foxes got a lead-off single from Lazar before Gregoire laced a single to left field to set up men on first and second with no outs. A failed sac bunt allowed Aiola to reach on a fielder's choice with Lazar thrown out at third, before back-to-back strikeouts ended the inning with the game still tied at 8-8.
The Saints came to bat in the bottom of the inning with a chance to walk off and got the lead off man on when Smart walked. Kelly followed with a sac bunt to advance Smart to second with one out but Coss got out of the inning unscathed when he got the next two batters to fly out and strike out swinging.
Neither team scored in the 10th, 11th, 12th or 13th innings and in the bottom of the 14th Hunter replaced Coss on the mound before Folgers led off with a single for Siena and advanced to second on the throw. Smart advanced the runner to third on ground out to the shortstop and Kelly followed with a game winning RBI single to left field and the Saints walked off with the 9-8 win.
GAME 2:
Marist got on the board in the bottom of the first when singled down the right field line with one out. Gregoire followed with an RBI double to left field that scored Lazar and then advanced to third on a throwing error by the shortstop and the Red Foxes led 1-0.
Siena answered in the bottom of the second inning when Lowndes led off with a single to right center before Martinez doubled down the right field line to set up men on second and third with no outs. Following a fly out to right field, Madonna hit an two RBI double to left center that scored both runners and the Saints were on top 2-1.
In the bottom of the third, Siena tacked on another run when Kelly walked with one out and Alex Tuccio doubled down the left field line to set up men on second and third with one out. Lowndes followed with an RBI ground out to the second baseman and the lead was 3-1 Saints.
The Red Foxes got one back in the top of the fourth. Gregoire led off with a walk and three batters later, Iantosca and Zachary Racusin walked with two outs to load the bases. A wild pitch during the next at bat allowed Gregoire to score from third and trimmed the deficit to 3-2.
For the third consecutive inning, Siena scored in the bottom of the fourth when Martis and Madonna led off with back-to-back bunt singles before a throwing error by the pitcher on Madonna's bunt advanced the runners to second and third. Bishop followed with a two RBI single through the right side and the Saints were up 5-2.
Again Marist answered in their next at bat. With two outs, Lazar doubed to center field and Gregoire laced a single to right field that scored Lazar and it was 5-3 Siena.
However, for the fourth consecutive inning, the Saints scored in the bottom of the fifth when Lowndes. Following a fly out, Bunting replaced Jerla and Martis singled to right center and advanced to second on a throwing error by the center fielder that also advanced Lowndes to third. Madonna followed with a sac fly and it was 6-3 Siena.
The Red Foxes came to bat in the top of the seventh looking to rally and Belitz reached on a fielding error by the shortstop to lead off. However, the next batter grounded into a double play which was followed by a fly out to left field and the Saints were victorious 6-3.
Up next, Marist will look to salvage the third and final game of the regular season at the Saints. First pitch is scheduled for 12 PM.
