CARY, North Carolina – The Marist baseball team split an Opening Day doubleheader against the Bucknell Bison on Saturday at the US Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, NC. The Red Foxes took Game 1 by a final score of 5-0 before the Bison took Game 2 by a final of 7-3.

With the win in the first game, Marist won its season opener for the first time in head coach Chris Tracz's tenure and the first time in program history since 2009 when the team beat Charleston Southern 7-4.

Redshirt senior Matt Pagano led the Red Foxes offensively on the day, going a combined 4-for-8 with a run scored and a walk, including 3-for-5 with a run scored in Game 1. Sophomore Frankie Gregoire chipped in a combined 4-for-10 effort with two doubles, a home run, two runs scored and three RBI, redshirt junior Greg Kocinski finished with a combined 4-for-9 with a walk and three RBI and junior Matt Iantosca went a combined 3-for-5 with two doubles, a walk, a run scored and one RBI. Sophomore Anthony Lazar chipped in a hit and run scored in each game and senior Tyler Kirkpatrick had a hit in each game, including a double in Game 2.

In the second game, sophomore Randy Taveras picked up his first hit in a Marist uniform, going 1-for-3 and redshirt sophomore Chris Tracz went 1-for-3 with a double.

On the mound, junior Charlie Jerla got the start and the win in game 1 and pitched five and two thirds innings, giving up no runs and two hits, while striking out eight and walking three. Sophomore Brandon Bonomo picked up his first career save in his first career appearance, throwing three and one third innings of no hit and no run ball with one strike out. Senior Sean Keenan got the start in game 2, throwing four and one third innings, giving up two runs on two hits with six walks. Junior Mike Coss got the loss, pitching one and two thirds innings while giving up two runs on no hits with two walks and one strikeout, junior Tony Romanelli pitched two thirds of an inning of relief and gave up two runs on two hits and one walk and junior Spencer Bunting threw one and one third innings and gave up one run on one hit with two walks.

GAME 1:

Looking to start the season out with a win, the Red Foxes got on the board first, in the top of the second inning when Iantosca ripped a two out double that scored Pagano for the 1-0 lead.

One inning later, Marist added to its lead when a one run double by Gregoire scored Lazar and a double by Kocinski scored Kapuscinski and the next at bat, Kockinski stole second and Gregoire stole home to make it 4-0.

A single by Kocinski that again scored Kapuscinski made it 5-0 Red Foxes in the top of the sixth.

That was all the offense Marist would need, as lights out pitching by Jerla and Bonomo held the Bison scoreless and the Red Foxes emerged victorious 5-0.

GAME 2:

Marist jumped out to an early lead in the top of the first inning when a two run homerun by Gregoire plated Lazar and it was 2-0 Red Foxes.

Bucknell answered in the bottom of the first with a bases loaded walk, followed by a sac fly that scored a run from third and the game was even 2-2.

For the third time on the day, Kocinski came up with an RBI hit that scored Kapuscinski and Marist regained the lead 3-2.

The lead lasted until the bottom of the seventh when Bucknell scored on a bases load walk, twice on a double and once on a triple and just like that it was 6-3 in favor of the Bison.

Bucknell added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth off a line out to center field and that was all that was needed as they held on for the 7-3 win.

Up next the two teams with play the rubber game of the three game series on Sunday, Feb. 18^th at Noon.