POUGHKEEPSIE, New York – A five run rally in the top of the ninth inning by the Quinnipiac Bobcats gave the Marist baseball team a 7-6 loss in Game 1 of the series on Friday afternoon.

SUMMARY:

The Red Foxes got on the board in the bottom of the third inning when redshirt junior Jordan Roper led off with a hit by pitch. Junior Anthony Lazar followed with a two run shot to left field, his fifth of the season and senior Andrew Rouse then followed with a solo home run to left center to give Marist the 3-0 lead.

Two innings later, redshirt sophomore Tyler Kapuscinski laced a two out single up the middle, junior Frankie Gregoire walked and junior Randy Taveras tripled down the right field line, scoring Kapuscinski and Gregoire to extend the lead to 5-0.

In the top of the sixth, the Bobcats got on the board with a two out single, a passed ball and an RBI single to left to trim the deficit to 5-1.

The Red Foxes answered in the bottom of the inning with a run to regain the five run lead. Roper reached on a dropped strike three and stole second two batters later. Rouse followed with single to set up men on first and third and redshirt senior Greg Kocinski knocked home Roper with an RBI single to right to bring the score to 6-1.

Quinnipiac made it back-to-back scoring innings in the top of the seventh with a two out walk and an RBI double to right center to climb to within four at 6-2.

Neither team scored in the eighth and the Bobcats came to bat in the ninth, looking to rally. After the leadoff hitter flew out, back-to-back singles set up men on first and second with one out. The next batter struck out, before the following batter hit a three run home run to center to trim the deficit to 6-5. After a single up the middle put the tying run on, the next batter smacked a two run shot to center to give Quinnipiac its first lead at 7-6.
Marist looked to answer in the bottom of the inning and Gregoire nearly tied the game with one swing but the ball was caught on the warning track. The next two batters lined out and flew out and the Bobcats emerged with the 7-6 win.

KEY STATS:

• Quinnipiac outhit the Red Foxes 13-12
• Marist stranded 10 runners, while the Bobcats left 8 on base

UP NEXT:

The Red Foxes and Quinnipiac will close out the series with a seven and nine inning doubleheader on Sunday (Noon). A ceremony will be held prior to the game to celebrate the careers of senior Spencer Bunting, Mike Coss, Tyler Dearden, Thomas Henderson, Matt Iantosca, Charlie Jerla, Greg Kocinski, Tony Romanelli, Andrew Rouse and Chris Tracz with a Senior Day Ceremony at 11:40 a.m.