POUGHKEEPSIE, New York - The Marist baseball team split a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference doubleheader with the Niagara on Saturday afternoon at McCann Field.
The Red Foxes trailed 6-0 early in game one but slowly came back, cutting Niagara's lead to 6-5 in the fourth inning. The Red Foxes ultimately fell short, 7-6. Marist rebounded in game two, jumping out to a 9-0 lead in the first inning en route to a 14-3 victory.
With the split, Marist record moves to 7-3 on the season, while Niagara goes to 15-9.
Niagara 7, Marist 6 – W: Mascelliano (1-0), L: Candelario (1-1), S: Cameron (3)
- Niagara struck first early in the first inning as Matt Zaremba doubled deep into left field, scoring two runs. Niagara would later add one more run, giving the Purple Eagles a 3-0 lead at the end of the first inning.
- Skyler Pichardo came in to relieve starting pitcher Erubiel Candelario with one out and the bases loaded in the first inning. Pichardo struck out two batters to get the Red Foxes out of the jam.
- RBI singles in the second inning from Niagara's Benny Serrano, Peter Battaglia, and Max Girodano added three runs to put the Purple Eagles up 6-0.
- Matt Rubayo got the Red Foxes' offense going in the second inning with an RBI double slammed deep into left field. Gene Napolitano later singled into the gap in left field, scoring Niko Amory and Rubayo to cut Niagara's 6-0 lead down to 6-3.
- In the third inning, Niko Amory dropped a ball into shallow right field with one out, scoring Tyler Kapuscinski from second base as Niagara's lead was cut to 6-4.
- With two outs and two runners on base in the fourth inning, Brian Hart lined a ball into right field, scoring Ben McNeill from second base to put the Red Foxes down 6-5.
- Niagara's Girodano homered into left field off of Connor McNamara with one out in the sixth inning to extend the Purple Eagles' lead to 7-5.
- The Red Foxes answered right back as an error committed by Niagara during Brian Hart's single with two outs in the sixth inning scored Robbie Armitage, cutting Niagara's lead back to one run, but it was not enough as the Red Foxes ultimately fell, 7-6.
Marist 14, Niagara 3 (7 inn.) – W: Keenan (1-0), L: Pallister (0-1)
- The Red Foxes secured the first run of the game early in the first inning as a wild pitch allowed Ben McNeill to score from first base. The Red Foxes continued to add on runs as Colin Mackle doubled into left field scoring two runs. Later in the inning, Ben McNeill grounded a single into right field, allowing Dylan Hoy to score from third. The Red Foxes finished the first inning leading 9-0.
- A sacrifice fly hit deep into right field by Spencer Marcus got Niagara on the board with one out in the second inning.
- Ben McNeill slammed a line drive into left-center field with one out, scoring Amory and Mackle, to put the Red Foxes up 11-1 in the second inning
- A single lined into right field by Gene Napolitano scored Tyler Kapuscinski from third base, giving the Red Foxes a 12-1 advantage in the third inning.
- Matt Rubayo extended Marist's lead to 13-1 in the fourth inning as he dropped a ball into shallow right field, scoring Hart from third base.
- Giordano's sacrifice fly to right field with no one out scored Ward from third base for Niagara's second run of the contest in the fifth inning.
- Napolitano added an insurance run late in the sixth inning as his single into right field scored Ethan Farino as the Red Foxes led 14-2.
- Niagara scored one more run before the game ended when Serrano singled into left field. That was the last score of the game as Marist won 14-3 in seven innings due to the mercy rule.
- Brian Hart was instrumental in the Red Foxes' offense in game one, finishing a perfect 4-for-4 with one RBI.
- Robbie Armitage made a fantastic double play in the third inning of game two, catching a line drive hit by Cole Tucker and throwing out Max Giordano at first base.
- Five Red Foxes recorded multiple hits in game two.
- Colin Mackle finished game two 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs
- Jack Keenan earned his first win of the season, finishing the game with two runs allowed on five hits in five innings pitched in game two.
- The Red Foxes will head to Lawrenceville, New Jersey to take on the Rider Broncs in a doubleheader on Wednesday.
- First pitch of game one is set for noon.
