LYNCHBURG, Virginia - Marist trailed 3-0 entering the ninth but came up clutch with hits on five of their first six at-bats to tie the game. However, Liberty walked off in the bottom of the winning to take the 4-3 win.
Ryan Cardona threw a strong 5.2 innings in his second start of the season, punching out nine with just one walk.
Colin Mackle (3-for-4) and
Donnie Stone (2-for-4) were exceptional in the tail end of the lineup as eight Red Foxes tallied hits.
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- The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the fifth when Liberty strung together a pair of hits to lead 2-0. They added another run in the seventh with an RBI-double from Cam Locklear.
- Trailing 3-0 in the ninth, Marist recorded three-consecutive singles from Niko Amory, Reece Armitage and Colin Mackle to load the bases. Pinch hitter Matt Rubayo would come up clutch with a single to drive in Amory, and then Robbie Armitage smacked a big two-run single to deep left field to score Reece and Mackle.
- Ben Highfill homered in the bottom of the inning to give the Flames the walk-off victory.
- In 5.2 innings, Ryan Cardona struck out nine and walked one with two hits and two runs.
- The freshmen duo of Mackle and Stone combined to go 5-for-8 in their best game of the season.
- The Red Foxes hit .306 overall against the Flames.
- Liberty reliever Garrett Price earned the win despite allowing five hits and three runs in 2.2 innings with four strikeouts and a walk.Â
- In 14.1 innings, Ryan Cardona leads the starters with an ERA of 3.14, 20 strikeouts and just seven walks.Â
- For the relievers, Jack Keenan has allowed just one hit and one unearned run in 6.2 innings. Zane Kmietek has an ERA of 1.13 in 8.0 innings.
- Reece Armitage leads the hitters with an average of .313, along with 10 hits, two doubles, a home run, three RBIs and eight runs scored.
- Robbie Armitage is the top Red Fox in RBIs with eight. He has a homer and three doubles.
Marist heads to Johnson City, Tennessee for a tournament in which they will play Ohio University, East Tennessee State and Wagner. Game one begins on Friday, March 6 at noon.
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