Every Monday throughout the summer, we'll be highlighting some of the best championship teams throughout our history, Check back here on GoRedFoxes.com weekly!
 
POUGHKEEPSIE, New York – The 2002 Marist baseball team put together the most dominant season in program history.
 
With a 41-14 record, the Red Foxes set a program record for victories which stands today and won their third straight MAAC championship. A talent-laden roster which included some of the best players in program history produced tremendous accomplishments individually and from a team perspective.
 
Hitting

• In 2002, right fielder Anthony Bocchino was named Second Team All-American and First Team All-Region. He capped his outstanding career by hitting .444 with nine home runs and more RBIs (56) than games played (55). Sixteen years after playing his final game at Marist, Bocchino remains the program's all-time leader in batting average (.410), hits (334), RBIs (218), doubles (74), and triples (24).
• Five everyday players hit at least .300. In addition to Bocchino, there was Jimmy Willis (.368, 7 HR, 44 RBIs), John McGorty (.333, 6, 51), Steve O'Sullivan (.332, 6, 34), and Tim Allen (.311, 8, 48). Additionally, Joey Salazar hit .297, and Mike Sidoti had a .278 average with 49 RBIs.
• As a team, Marist hit .313 and averaged 8.1 runs per game.
• Five Red Foxes (Bocchino, Willis, O'Sullivan, Salzar, and Sidoti) started every game.
• Freshman Keith Brachold hit .252 with three homers in 44 games. Three years later, Brachold departed Marist with a program-record 25 home runs, a mark which remains standing. 

 
Pitching

• In his sophomore season, Chris Tracz was named First Team All-Region. Tracz went 10-3 with a 2.36 ERA in 99 innings pitched, and allowed the opposition to hit just .228 against him. Now the Red Foxes' head coach, Tracz remains the program's record holder in wins (38), strikeouts (298), innings pitched (379.1), starts (56), and is tied for first in complete games (14).
• Kevin Ool (10-4) tied Tracz for the team lead in wins, posted a 2.77 ERA, and struck out 85 in 91 innings. Ool is still the program's record holder in career ERA (2.52), and is tied for first with 14 complete games.
• The weekend rotation was completed by Chuck Bechtel, who win eight games and struck out 73 in 79.1 innings.
• A tough bullpen was anchored by closer Chris Homer, who saved 11 games and struck out 35 against just seven walks in 29.2 innings. Brad Cook posted a 3-0 record and 1.63 ERA in 21 relief outings, while Ryan Kondratowicz was 6-0 with a 1.93 ERA in 17 appearances.
• As a staff, the Red Foxes posted a 3.09 ERA. In 465.1 innings, Marist pitchers struck out 403 against just 125 walks, while the opposition hit .235.

 
MAAC Success
On their way to 41 wins, the Red Foxes won 19 straight from late March through late April. Marist rolled through conference play at 22-5, and won the regular-season title by two-and-a-half games over Le Moyne.
 
The team then went undefeated in three MAAC Tournament games. Tracz allowed just one run over 7.1 in the tournament opener against Rider. On day two against Le Moyne, Marist trailed 5-2 entering the bottom of the ninth, but tied the game thanks to RBI singles from McGorty, Brachold, and Willis. With two outs in the bottom of the 10^th, Allen's homer sent the Red Foxes to the championship game, where they defeated Rider 10-5 to clinch their third straight trip to the NCAA Tournament.
 
The following Red Foxes earned MAAC accolades:

• Bocchino: MAAC Player of the Year, First Team All-MAAC, MAAC All-Tournament Team
• Tracz: MAAC Pitcher of the Year, First Team All-MAAC
• Sidoti: MAAC Tournament MVP
• Willis: First Team All-MAAC
• McGorty: Second Team All-MAAC, MAAC All-Tournament Team
• O'Sullivan: Second Team All-MAAC
• Ool: Second Team All-MAAC
• Allen: MAAC All-Tournament Team
• Cook: MAAC All-Tournament Team

 
NCAA Tournament
For the first time in program history, the Red Foxes earned a #3 seed in regional play. They traveled to Nebraska and faced Missouri State in their opening game.
 
Tracz outdueled future Major Leaguer Brad Ziegler and departed after seven innings with Marist leading, 4-1. However, Missouri State rallied with a three-run eighth, and the game went to extra innings.
 
Just as he had done exactly one week earlier, Allen supplied the extra-inning heroics. He hit the first pitch of the 11^th inning over the wall in left field off future Major Leaguer Shaun Marcum, which gave the Red Foxes a 5-4 lead. Missouri State had runners on first and second with one out in the bottom half of the inning, but Kondratowicz squelched the rally. The Red Foxes won a game in the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive season.
 
Pros
Six Red Foxes from this season's team were selected in the Major League Baseball draft over the course of the next two years:

• Bocchino: 2002, Pittsburgh Pirates, 11^th round
• O'Sullivan: 2002, Chicago Cubs, 23^rd round
• Bechtel: Was selected by the San Diego Padres in the 25^th round in 2002. Returned to Marist and threw the program's first nine-inning no-hitter in its history in 2003. Was selected again by San Diego in the 15^th round in 2003.
• Ool: 2003, Boston Red Sox, 16^th round
• Homer: 2003, Detroit Tigers, 24^th round
• McGorty: 2003, Detroit Tigers, 36^th round

 
Past Marist Mondays
Week One: 2008 Men's Tennis | Week Two: 2014 Women's Swimming & Diving | Week Three: 2015 Men's Lacrosse | Week Four: 1998 Women's Cross Country | Week Five: 2004 Men's Soccer | Week Six: 2013 Women's Tennis | Week Seven: 2002 Men's Rowing | Week Eight: 2011 Women's Soccer | Week Nine: 2013 Football | Week 10: 2008 Women's Lacrosse