ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, New York – Behind strong pitching by senior Sean Keenan, the Marist baseball team picked up its first Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference win by a score of 5-1 over the Iona Gaels. The victory marks the second consecutive season the Red Foxes have won their opening MAAC game.
With the win, the Marist now stands at 10-7 (1-0 MAAC) while the loss drops Iona to 5-9 (0-1 MAAC).
Sophomore Frankie Gregoire led the Red Foxes offensively on the day, going 1-for-3 with a home run, a run scored and two RBI. Sophomore Randy Taveras chipped in a 2-for-3 effort with two singles and a run scored, sophomore Anthony Lazar chipped in a 1-for-3 effort with an RBI, redshirt senior Matt Pagano finished 1-for-4 with a run scored and junior Matt Iantosca and senior Tyler Kirkpatrick each chipped in a run scored. Redshirt junior Greg Kocinski each chipped in a hit and redshirt freshman Tyler Kapuscinski picked up a hit to extend his hitting streak to nine games.
Keenan pitched lights out, throwing seven innings while giving up just one run on six hits with no walks and eight strike outs. Ryan Thomas threw two innings and gave up no runs on no hits with a walk and two strikeouts.
The Red Foxes got on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning when Gregoire smoked a bomb over the left field fence for his fifth home run of the season and the 1-0 lead.
The Gaels answered in the top of the sixth when Lou Matarazzo hit a double to right center with two outs. Sean Scales followed with an RBI single up the middle, scoring Matarazzo to tie the game 1-1.
In the bottom of the sixth, Marist regained the lead when Kirkpatrick reached on a hit by pitch to lead things off and Lazar advanced him to second with a sacrifice bunt. Kapuscinski singled to second base to set up men on first and third and Gregoire followed with a sacrifice fly to center that scored Kirkpatrick for the 2-1 lead.
One inning later, the Red Foxes extended their lead when Pagano singled through the right side with one out. Iantosca reached on a fielder's choice grounder that the third baseman threw away into center field, allowing Taveras to reach second and score and allowed Pagano to score to make it 4-1 Marist. Iantosca advanced to second on a ground out and Lazar followed with a single through the left side, scoring Iantosca and advanced to second on the throw home and to third on a throwing error by the pitcher and it was 5-1 Red Foxes.
Thomas replaced Keenan on the mound in the mound and gave up a lead off walk but then retired the next six batters in the eighth and nine to secure the 5-1 victory.
Up next, the two teams return to action on Saturday, also at Bard, for a double header (12 & 3 PM) to finish off the series.
