NIAGARA FALLS, New York – The Marist baseball team won the 2017 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship with a 5-1 defeat over the Iona Gaels at Sal Maglie Stadium on Saturday.
With the victory, the Red Foxes earned the conference's automatic berth into the NCAA Baseball Championship and will find out who and where they will play during the NCAA Selection Show on ESPN 2 on Monday, May 29th at noon.
The MAAC Championship is the first for Marist since 2009 and the sixth overall in program history (2000-02, 2005, 2009 & 2017).
Freshman Patrick Lightner led the Red Foxes offensively with two hits and one RBI, while junior Andrew Rouse had one hits, a solo home run, one run scored and one RBI. Redshirt senior Matt Pagano finished with one hit, one run scored and one RBI, redshirt freshman Tyler Kapuscinski picked up two hits and two runs scored and junior Matt Iantosca had one hit and one run scored. Sophomore Frankie Gregoire finished with one hit and senior Tyler Kirkpatrick had one RBI.
On the mound, redshirt junior Scott Boches picked up his sixth win of the season, throwing eight and two third innings while giving up one run on eight hits with three walks and a season high 10 striekouts. Junior Tony Romanelli picked up his career high and team leading eighth save of the season, pitching one third of an inning while surrendering no runs on no hits with one strikeout.
The Red Foxes opened the scoring in the bottom of the second inning when Rouse led off with a solo home run to left center. Kapuscinski followed with a double to right, Iantosca singled to right field and two batters later, Lightner smacked an RBI single to right center that scored Kapuscinski and advanced Iantosca to third. During the next at bat, Lightner stole second and Iantosca stole home on the throw and Marist was ahead 3-0.
Four innings later, Kapuscinski led off with a single to right, advanced to second on a sac bunt by Iantosca and Pagano followed with an RBI doubled to left center. Lightner followed with a single that advanced Pagano to third and Kirkpatrick hit an RBI sac fly to left field that scored Pagano for the 5-0 lead.
The Gaels answered with a run in the eighth inning on a two out single and RBI double to trim the deficit to 5-1.
Down to their last three outs in the top of the ninth, Iona got a one out single and following Boches' 10th strikeout of the day, loaded the bases with back-to-back walks. Romanelli replaced Boches on the hill and sealed the championship victory, striking out the only batter he faced for the 5-1 win.
Up next, the Red Foxes will enter the 2017 NCAA Tournament against an opponent, time and location to be determined on Monday at noon during the NCAA Baseball Selection Show on ESPN 2. .
