GAINESVILLE, Florida – With a 4-2 loss to the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats in a NCAA Gainesville Regional elimination game, the Marist baseball team had their season come to a close on Saturday.
The Red Foxes close out the year at 32-23 (.582), the team's best record overall since 2011 when the team went 35-17 (.673). With the defeat seniors Sean Keenan, Tyler Kirkpatrick, Ryan Thomas, John Parisi and Matt Pagano ended their playing careers at Marist.
For the second straight game, sophomore Randy Taveras led the team offensively, picking up three hits, a home run with one run scored and one RBI. Sophomore Tyler Kapuscinski, Pagano and freshman Patrick Lightner each finished with one hit and sophomore Frankie Gregoire had one RBI.
Junior Charlie Jerla got the start and threw six and one third innings, while giving up four runs on four hits with three walks and four strikeouts. Junior Mike Coss pitched two thirds of an inning and gave up no runs on two hits with one strikeout and Thomas finished his collegiate career, pitching one inning while giving up no runs on no hits.
The Red Foxes opened the game with a run as Kirkpatrick walked and stole second and Taveras singled through the left side, advancing Kirkpatrick to third. Gregoire followed with an RBI sac foul out and Marist held a 1-0 lead.
In the bottom of the first, Bethune-Cookman answered with a couple runs on a one out walk, fielder's choice, catcher's interference, a walk and a two RBI single through the left side to take the 2-1 lead.
Four innings later, the Wildcats added another run on a solo home run to left field to extend their lead to 3-1.
After a scoreless sixth, Bethune-Cookman made it a three run lead with a one out single. Coss replaced Jerla on the mound and got the next batter to strike out swinging but the runner stole second on the play. The next batter laced an RBI double down the left field line for the 4-1 advantage.
The Red Foxes trimmed the deficit to 4-2 in the top of the eighth with a one out solo home run by Taveras to left center field.
However, that was as close as Marist would come as a one out single by Kapuscinski was followed by back-to-back strikeouts to end the Red Foxes' season.
Marist will have the majority of its returning players competing in various summer leagues across the country so check back to goredfoxes.com for updates on how they are doing.
