NIAGARA FALLS, New York – Behind six runs in its final three innings, the #2 Marist baseball team picked up a 6-2 comeback win over the #3 Canisius Golden Griffins on Thursday to open the 2017 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship at Sal Maglie Stadium.
The win gives the Red Foxes a 30-21 overall record, the most wins for the team since 2011 (35). The victory was also the first time Marist won its' opening game in the MAAC Tournament in at least its last three appearances.
Sophomore Frankie Gregoire led the Red Foxes offensively on the day, finishing with two hits, a two run home run, two runs scored and two RBI. Redshirt freshman Tyler Kapuscinski picked up two hits, one run scored and one RBI, redshirt junior Greg Kocinski had one hits, one run scored and one RBI, and junior Matt Iantosca and redshirt senior Matt Pagano each had one hit and one RBI. Freshman Patrick Lightner had two hits and one run scored and sophomore Randy Taveras finished with one hit and one run scored.
On the mound, senior Sean Keenan pitched yet another strong game for Marist, throwing six innings and getting his sixth win of the year, while giving up just two runs on four hits with seven strikeouts. Junior Tony Romanelli picked up his team leading seventh save of 2017, pitching three innings and gave up no runs on two hits with one strikeout.
The Golden Griffins got on the board in the top of the first on a one out error by the third baseman, a single and a two RBI double to take a 2-0 lead.
Both pitchers battled in the second, third, fourth and fifth innings, keeping the score the same with Keenan making numerous huge pitches to get out of jams and keep the Red Foxes within two runs.
In the bottom of the sixth, Marist finally got on the board when Taveras and Gregoire led off with back-to-back singles before Kocinski reached on an error by the second baseman that scored Taveras and moved Gregoire to third. After a ground out that advanced Kocinski to second, Kapuscinski also reached on an error by the second baseman which scored Gregoire to even the score and advanced Kocinski to third. Iantosca followed with an RBI sac fly that scored Kocinski and the Red Foxes were ahead 3-2.
One inning later, Lightner led off with a single and three batters later, Gregoire launched his team leading ninth home run over the left field wall for the 5-2 lead.
For the third straight inning, Marist scored in the top of the eighth when after a Canisius pitching change, Kapuscinski led off with a single and two batters later, stole second before Pagano ripped an RBI single to left that scored Kapuscinski for the 6-2 lead.
In the top of the ninth, Romanelli retired the first two batters on a ground out to second and first before the next batter reached on a throwing error by the pitcher. However, that was as close as the Golden Griffins would come as Romanelli retired the next batter on a fly out to center to secure the 6-2 win.
Up next, the #2 Red Foxes will play the #1 Fairfield Stags on Friday at 1:30 PM for a berth in the Championship round of the tournament.
