POUGHKEEPSIE, New York – With late inning rallies in runs in both games, the Marist baseball team split a non-conference doubleheader vs the Albany Great Danes on Saturday at McCann Field. The Red Foxes won Game 1 by a final score of 2-1 but fell in Game 2 by a final score of 4-3, despite scoring a run and putting the tying run on second in the bottom of the ninth inning.

With the results, Marist stands at 18-16 (7-5 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference), while Albany moves to 12-19 (3-9 America East).

In Game 1, redshirt freshman Tyler Kapuscinski and juniors Andrew Rouse and Matt Iantosca each finished with a hit, while senior Tyler Kirkpatrick and sophomore Randy Taveras each scored a run.

On the mound, junior Charlie Jerla pitched arguably his best game of the season, picking up his fifth win of the season, throwing a complete game seven innings, while surrendering just one run on four hits with one walk and a season high three strikeouts.

In Game 2, redshirt senior Matt Pagano finished with three hits and one RBI, while freshman Patrick Lightner picked up one hit and two RBI. Taveras finished with two hits and Kapuscinski had a hit and one run scored to extend his hitting streak to 13 games. Sophomore Frankie Gregoire and redshirt sophomore Chris Tracz picked up a hit and a run scored and sophomore Anthony Lazar finished with one hit on the afternoon.

On the hill, Sean Keenan picked up the no decision, throwing six innings while giving up just two runs on seven hits with three walks and five strikeouts. Junior Mike Coss got his third loss of the year, pitching one third of an inning and giving up two runs on two hits with one walk and senior Ryan Thomas threw two and two thirds innings, while giving up no runs on three hits with no walks and two strikeouts. With his appearance in Game 2, Thomas made his 86^th career appearance and tied the program's all-time appearance record set by Jake Rifkin (2009-12).

GAME 1:

The Great Danes got on the board in the top of the first inning when Kyle Sacks singled with one out. Evan Harasta walked and Kevin Donati singled through the left side, scoring Sacks and Albany was ahead 1-0.

After the first inning, Jerla settled into a grove and retired the side in order in the second, third and fourth innings, including striking out five consecutive batters in the second and third innings.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Red Foxes got on the board with two runs when Kirkpatrick reached, advanced to second on an error by the shortstop and third on a ground out. After a pitching change by the Great Danes, Taveras walked and Kirkpatrick scored on a wild pitch. Lazar followed reaching on a throwing error by the shortstop that allowed Taveras to score and Marist was ahead 2-1.

Albany tried to tie it in their last at bat in the seventh but Jerla retired the side in order on a fly out to center and back-to-back strikeouts swinging.

GAME 2:

The Great Danes opened the scoring again, this time in the third inning when Patrick Lagravinese led off with a single, and Alex Thul singled through the left side. Both runners advanced to second and third on a grond out and Collin Powers followed with an RBI single to second that scored Lagravinese. Sacks followed with an RBI sac fly to center that scored Thul and Albany was ahead 2-0.

In the bottom of the third, the Red Foxes answered when Tracz led off with a double to right center and advanced to third on a passed ball. Lightner followed with an RBI ground out to trim the deficit to 2-1.

One inning later, Marist tied the game. Gregoire led off with a walk and two batters later Lazar singled. Gregoire advanced to third on a fly out and Lightner followed with an RBI single that scored Gregoire and tied the game at 2-2.

In the top of the seventh, the Great Danes regained the lead with after Coss replaced Keenan on the mound for the Red Foxes, Powers doubled to right center with one out. Sacks followed with a walk and Harasta ripped an RBI single through the left side that scored Powers. Thomas replaced Coss on the hill and Donati singled up the middle, scoring Sacks and Albany was ahead 4-2.

Marist came to bat for the last time in the bottom of the ninth and after back-to-back strikeouts, Kapuscinski singled up the middle. Pagano followed with an RBI double to center that scored Kapuscinski to bring Marist within one with the tying run on second. However, a comeback was not in the books as the next batter grounded out to first and the Great Danes emerged with the 4-3 win.

Up next, the two teams will play a second seven and nine inning doubleheader at the Great Dane's Varsity Field on Sunday at 12 PM.