POUGHKEEPSIE, New York – The Marist softball team will begin play in the Final Four of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship on Thursday at Canisius.
 
Last Friday, the eighth-seeded Red Foxes swept top-seeded Monmouth in a best-of three series in the quarterfinal round to advance. Canisius (#2 seed), Fairfield (#4 seed), and Manhattan (#6 seed) also advanced. By virtue of being the highest remaining seed, Canisius will host the remaining teams in a double-elimination format.
 

Schedule

Thursday, May 13
Game 1 - #8 Marist at #2 Canisius, noon
Game 2 - #6 Manhattan vs. #4 Fairfield, 3 p.m.
Friday, May 14
Game 3 – Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser, 11 a.m.
Game 4 – Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner, 2 p.m.
Game 5 – Game 3 Winner vs. Game 4 Loser, 5 p.m.
Saturday, May 15
Game 6 – Game 4 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner, noon
Game 7 (if necessary) – Game 6 Winner vs. Game 6 Loser, 2:30 p.m.
 
All games will be shown live on ESPN+.
 

Notes

At a Glance

• Marist has played 24 games this season. The Red Foxes are 14-10 following their two-game sweep of Monmouth in the quarterfinal round on Friday, May 7.
• After starting the season 3-6, Marist has gone 11-4 in its last 15 games.
• Marist is 9-5 in home games and 5-5 in road games.
• Five of Marist's 10 losses have come in the opposition's final at-bat.
• Four of Marist's home wins came on walk-off home runs – two to win by the mercy rule, one in a tie game, and one in which the Red Foxes were trailing.
• Caroline Baratta was named MAAC Defensive Player of the Year. Baratta and Kaley Coltrain were named First Team All-MAAC. Ali Milam and Calista Phippen were named Second Team All-MAAC. Miah McDonald was named to the MAAC All-Rookie Team.
• All 18 eligible student-athletes made the MAAC All-Academic Team (total led the conference). The Marist honorees were Caroline Baratta, Lauren Beal, Hannah Brock, Kaley Coltrain, Meghan Davis, Sam Freeland, Brooke Gastin, Morgan Gianelle, Meghan Haff, Hunter Hand, Hailee Jantorno, Olivia Knopf, Ali Milam, Kiley Myers, Calista Phippen, Nicole Teague, Shea Walsh, and Alyssa Yarem.

 
Sweep of Monmouth

• Eighth-seeded Marist arrived at the Final Four following a two-game sweep of top-seeded Monmouth on Friday, April 7.
  • The Red Foxes prevailed 5-3 in game one, and 6-1 in game two.
  • Marist never trailed in either game.
• Marist outhit Monmouth 22-7 on the day. Calista Phippen pitched a four-hitter with seven strikeouts in game one. All three runs she allowed were unearned. Meghan Haff pitched a three-hitter with eight strikeouts and two walks in game two.
• Caroline Baratta, Sam Freeland, Shea Walsh, Miah McDonald, and Hunter Hand each had three hits on the day for the Red Foxes.
• Kaley Coltrain hit her team-leading ninth home run of the season in game one. Although she was the only Marist starter not to get a hit in game two, she drew three walks. The last two were intentional, and the last one came with two outs and the bases empty in the top of the sixth.

 
Championship History

• Marist has won three MAAC championships in its history: 2006, 2013, and 2016.
• Marist has reached the conference tournament for five straight seasons, and nine of the last 10.

 
Tournament Field

• Marist vs. the remaining tournament field:
  • Marist's four game-series at Canisius on April 20-21 was not played. Those games are considered no contests/forfeits.
  • Marist went 2-2 against Fairfield this season. The teams split doubleheaders on April 20 and April 22. The winning team went ahead for good in its final at-bat in three of the games (two Fairfield walk-offs, one come-from-behind win for Marist in the top of the seventh).
  • Marist did not play Manhattan this season.
• Marist history vs. the remaining tournament field:
  • Marist is 1-3 all-time against Canisius in MAAC Championship play.
    • Marist's lone victory came in 2001.
    • The Golden Griffins have won the last three – twice in 2008, once in 2012.
    • Canisius defeated Marist in the 2008 championship round.
  • Marist is 7-4 all-time against Fairfield in MAAC Championship play.
    • Fairfield has won the last three meetings.
    • Marist defeated Fairfield in the championship finals in 2006 and 2013.
  • Marist is 3-1 against Manhattan all-time in MAAC Championship play.
    • All four games have been decided by one run.
    • Marist prevailed in 2011, 2017, and 2018.
    • Manhattan was victorious in 2014.