POUGHKEEPSIE, New York – After nearly two weeks off, the Marist baseball team returns to Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play when they host the Niagara Purple Eagles at McCann Field on Friday and Saturday.

Originally, the teams were scheduled to play a doubleheader on Saturday and a single game on Sunday. However, due to projected weather forecasts, the series was moved to a single nine inning game on Friday (3 p.m.) and a seven and nine inning doubleheader on Saturday (Noon).

LAST TIME OUT:

The Red Foxes are coming off a 5-4 walk off win in the 11^th inning on Wednesday vs the Hartford Hawks.

The Hawks opened the scoring in the top of the first inning on back-to-back lead off hits, followed by an RBI single and a single to right that allowed a run to score on a throwing error by the right fielder to take a 2-0 lead.

In the bottom of the frame, Marist answered when freshman Gene Napolitano led off with a single to third base and Rouse followed with a single to left center. Two batters later, redshirt sophomore Tyler Kapuscinski hit a sac fly to center that scored Napolitano and junior Anthony Lazar followed with a second sac fly to center that scored Rouse and even the score at 2-2.

Hartford regained the lead in the top of the second inning on a leadoff double down the left field line that was followed by an RBI single that brought the score to 3-2.

Three innings later, the Red Foxes again tied the score when sophomore Matt Rubayo launched a solo home run to left field, his second of the season, and just like that it was 3-3.

For the third time in the game, the Hawks took the lead, this time in the top of the seventh with a leadoff double, a fielding error by the third baseman, a sacrifice bunt and an RBI sac fly to right field.

In the bottom of the eighth, Marist tied the game for a third time when Kapuscinski led off with a double to left field, Lazar and junior Frankie Gregoire walked and junior Randy Taveras followed with an RBI sac fly to center that evened the score at 4-4.

After freshman Nick Cantone and senior Mike Coss combined to hold Hartford scoreless for the next three innings, Marist came to bat in the bottom of the 11^th with a chance to win. Rubayo led off the inning, reaching on a fielder's choice, senior Matt Iantosca walked and both runners advanced to third and second respectively on a wild pitch. Rouse followed with a ground out to the pitcher but Rubayo broke home on the throw to first and slid in just before the tag to give the Red Foxes the 5-4 walk off win.

HOT FOXES:

Kapuscinski is currently riding a four game hitting streak, the second longest of his season (6 games) and Rouse currently has a three game hit streak.

???????Gregoire currently is riding a 14 game reached base streak and Kocinski and Taveras are both amidst an 11 and nine game streak in which they've reached base safely respectively.

???????MAAC RANKINGS:

Marist currently ranks second as a team in the MAAC with 18 home runs, third in the conference in stolen bases with 30 and fifth as a team in the MAAC with a cumulative batting average of .263 (216-for-826).

Lazar is fourth in the conference with a .547 slugging percentage and eighth in the MAAC with a .344 (22-for-64) batting average.

???????Kocinski is tied for third in the conference with five home runs, fifth in the MAAC with a .546 slugging percentage, seventh in the conference with 53 total bases and 15^th in the MAAC with a batting average of .320 (31-for-97).

Coss is third in the conference with four saves, four wins and 15 appearances, fourth in the MAAC with a .222 opponent batting average against and fifth in the conference with a 2.73 ERA.

???????Taveras is tied for first in the MAAC with seven stolen bases.

Roper is 4^th in the conference with a .458 on base percentage.

SCOUTING THE PURPLE EAGLES:

Niagara enters the series with an 11-14 (4-2 MAAC) record are coming off a 9-3 and 10-1 doubleheader sweep at vs the St. Bonaventure Bonnies on Tuesday.

Junior Greg Cullen leads the team with a .479 (45-for-94) average, 45 hits, two triples, three home runs, 64 total bases, a .681 slugging percentage and a .538 on base percentage.

???????Redshirt senior Cody Eckerson, freshman Ben Erwin and senior Zachary Kolodziejski look to be the Purple Eagles' starters this weekend.

???????Eckerson is 1-3 with a 4.45 ERA and in 32.1 innings pitched has given up 23 runs (16 earned) on 34 hits with 14 walks, 43 strikeouts and a .264 opponent batting average against.

Erwin is 3-1 with a 3.67 ERA and in 27 innings pitched has given up 12 (11 earned) runs on 28 hits with 13 walks, 16 strikeouts and a .283 opponent average against.

???????Kolodziejski is 1-1 with a 7.27 ERA and in 26 innings pitched has given up 26 (21 earned) runs on 30 hits with 25 walks and nine strikeouts and a .297 opponent batting average against.

HOW TO FOLLOW:

Live stats will be available here and fans can follow @Marist_BSB on Twitter for in game updates.

UP NEXT:

The Red Foxes remain home and return to action on Wednesday, April 18 when they host the Binghamton Bearcats in a non-conference doubleheader (2 p.m.) at McCann Field.