Box Score HAMDEN, Connecticut – Seven unanswered runs by the Quinnipiac Bobcats in the final four innings handed the Marist baseball team a 7-4 road loss in Game 1 of the series on Sunday afternoon.
With the loss, the Red Foxes fall to 12-9 (2-2 MAAC) while the win improves the Bobcats to 8-14 (1-3 MAAC).
Junior Andrew Rouse led Marist on the day, going 2-for-4 with a run scored and one RBI, while senior Tyler Kirkpatrick chipped in two hits. Sophomore Anthony Lazar finished with a hit and two runs scored to extend his hitting streak to six games and senior Matt Pagano chipped in a hit and one RBI. Sophomore Frankie Gregoire finished with two RBI and freshman Patrick Lightner chipped in a run scored.
Senior Sean Keenan got the start and threw five and two third innings, giving up three runs (two earned) on two hits with two walks and six strikeouts. Keenan had a perfect game through four innings before a lead off single in the fifth broke it up. Junior Mike Coss pitched one and two third innings, surrendering two runs on three hits and senior Ryan Thomas pitched two thirds of an inning and gave up two runs on three hits with one strikeout.
The Red Foxes scored first for the third consecutive game when in the second inning, when Rouse reached on fielder's choice. During the next at bat, he stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by the catcher. Two batters later, Pagano threw down a sac bunt that scored Rouse and Marist was ahead 1-0.
One inning later, a Lazar single with one out was followed by a Kirkpatrick double that set up men on second and third with one out. Gregoire hit a sac fly to left field that scored Lazar and it was 2-0 Red Foxes.
In the top of the fifth, Marist added to its lead again Lightner led off reaching on a hit by pitch and stole second during the next at bat. Lazar walked and a fly out by the next batter advanced Lightner to third before Gregoire followed with his second sac fly, scoring Lightner. Redshirt freshman Tyler Kapuscinski reached on a throwing error by the second baseman, advancing Lazar to third before Rouse singled to the pitcher, scoring Lazar and the Red Foxes were ahead 4-0.
Quinnipiac answered in the bottom of the sixth when Brian Moskey led off with a walk. Following a strikeout, Anthony Cruz walked to set up men on first and second with one out. Mike Palladino followed with a single through the left side to load the bases and Evan Vulgamore was hit by a pitch, scoring Moskey to get the Bobcats on the board and keep the bases loaded with one out. Matthew Batten grounded out to third base, scoring Cruz, advancing Palladino to third and Vulgamore to second and Coss replaced Keenan on the mound. Joseph Burns followed reaching on a fielding error by the shortstop which allowed Palladino to score but a heads up play by Lazar nailed Vulgamore at home to end the inning with Marist ahead 4-3.
In the bottom of the eighth, Cruz led off with a single for Quinnipiac and advanced to second on a sac bunt. Vulgamore followed with a single through the left side that scored Cruz and Vulgamore advanced to second on the throw home. Thomas replaced Coss on the hill for the Red Foxes and Batten singled up the middle, scoring Vulgamore to give the Bobcats their first lead of the game at 5-4. Two batters later, Liam Scafariello hit a two run home run to center field, extending the Quinnipiac lead to 7-4 heading into the ninth.
A comeback was not in the cards for Marist as they went 1-2-3 in the top of the ninth and the Bobcats were victorious 7-4.
Up next, the two teams will play a doubleheader to finish out the series on Monday. The first game will be seven innings and begin at 12 PM and the second of the day and final game of the series will be nine innings, beginning roughly a half hour after the conclusion of the first.
