STATEN ISLAND, New York – #4 Marist baseball was defeated in the opening round of the MAAC Championship by #5 Manhattan by a final score of 6-2. The Jaspers took an early lead, and the Red Foxes fought back with a two-run double by Tyler Kapuscinski in the sixth, but they could not make up the deficit and were defeated. They return tomorrow for an elimination match against #6 Monmouth.
 

SUMMARY

• Manhattan scored an unearned run in the first inning to take the lead.
• Marist advanced men to scoring position in the first and second, but could not score.
• In the fifth, the Jaspers scored four runs including a three-run homer to take a 5-0 lead.
• Tyler Kapuscinski hit a big two-out two-run double in the sixth to put Marist on the board. Randy Taveras and Frankie Gregoire were driven home, and the Red Foxes trailed 5-2.
• Marist had men on first and third in the seventh, but could not convert for the score.
• The Jaspers added a run on a groundout in the ninth for good measure to come away with a 6-2 win over the Red Foxes.

KEY STATS

• Alex Pansini threw eight innings and struck out seven. He gave up four earned runs on eight hits with two walks. He retired the side in the second and eighth innings.
• Tyler Kapuscinski went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a double.
• Randy Taveras, Frankie Gregoire, Gene Napolitano and Matt Rubayo each recorded a hit.

NEXT ROUND: MONMOUTH

• Marist will play #6 Monmouth on Thursday, May 23 at 3 p.m. in the first elimination game of the championship.
• The Red Foxes swept the Hawks in the regular season by scores of 6-5, 6-1 and 4-3.
• Anthony Lazar was superb in that three game stretch, smashing three homers with a slash line of .571/.571/1.357 with eight hits, four RBIs, two doubles and seven runs scored.