POUGHKEEPSIE, New York - The Marist baseball team split a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game against Manhattan on Saturday afternoon at McCann Field.
 
The Red Foxes found themselves down 7-0 late in game one, but they never quit and slowly came back to cut Manhattan's lead down to two runs late in the game before ultimately losing 8-6.  In game two, Manhattan jumped out to a 1-0 early lead, but a five-run fifth inning gave the Red Foxes an advantage that would hold the rest of the game, as Marist won the second game 6-5 despite a furious late rally from the Jaspers.
 
 

GAME ONE SUMMARY

Manhattan 8, Marist 6
W: Muratalla (2-4), L: Cardona (0-2)

• The Red Foxes found themselves in a jam early as Manhattan loaded the bases with no outs in the first inning.  A walk and sacrifice fly would drive in two runs for the Jaspers, giving them a 2-0 lead at the end of the first inning.
• The Jaspers loaded the bases again with one out in the second inning, and pushed across four unearned runs, capped by an RBI single from Trevor Santos, which gave the Jaspers a 6-0 lead in the second inning.
• Trevor Backman entered the game for Cardona in the fourth inning with two runners on base and no outs.  On his first pitch, Backman forced a 5-3 double play and then struck out the next batter to escape trouble.
• Manhattan extended its lead to 7-0 in the sixth inning when Barditch recorded an RBI double by lining a ball down the left-field line with two outs in the inning.
• Manhattan's Muratalla kept the Red Foxes hitless through 5.1 innings.  Brian Hart broke up the no-hitter in the sixth inning as he singled by lining a ball into right field.  The Red Foxes would later load the bases with one out in the sixth inning.
• With the bases loaded, Robbie Armitage lined a ball at the shortstop and beat the throw at first as Tyler Kapuscinski scored from third to give the Red Foxes their first run of the game.  Niko Amory pinch hit for Colin Mackle and drove a ball into left field scoring Brian Hart.  Matt Rubayo kept the rally going with a sacrifice fly into left field, scoring Brian Picone from third base, cutting the Jasper lead down to 7-3. 
• With one out in the seventh inning, Manhattan's Alfredo Delgato belted a solo homer off of Brian Yetter into deep left field to give the Jaspers an 8-3 advantage late in the game.
• Marist began to rally in the seventh inning.  Dylan Hoy led off with a double slammed into deep left-center field followed by a walk from Ben McNeill to put runners of first and second. T. Kapuscinski then doubled off the wall in deep left field, scoring Hoy from second. 
• Brian Hart then grounded out to shortstop, allowing McNeill to score from third to cut the lead down to 8-5.  Right after, Robbie Armitage sent a ball down the third-base line into left field to score T. Kapuscinski, cutting Manhattan's lead to two with two outs in the inning.  Reece Armitage singled to put runners on first and third, then Matt Rubayo walked to load the bases.  Gene Napolitano flew out to center field to end the game as the Red Foxes fell just short 8-6.

 

GAME TWO SUMMARY

Marist 6, Manhattan 5
W: Pansini (1-3), L: Mahoney (1-4)

• Manhattan got on the board first in the second inning of game two.  Putting runners on second and third early in the inning, Lewi Clarke grounded out to the shortstop allowing Trevor Santos to score from third to give the Jaspers a 1-0 lead.
• With two outs in the fifth inning, Ben McNeill singled to right field to keep the inning alive.  Tyler Kapuscinski then lined a ball down the right-field line, sending McNeill to third base.  Brian Hart was hit by a pitch to load the bases.  Niko Amory then walked to score McNeill and tie the game 1-1.  Brian Picone slammed a ball down the left-field line scoring T. Kapuscinski and Hart to give the Red Foxes a 3-1 lead.  After Robbie Armitage walked to reload the bases, Matt Rubayo slammed a ball between the gap in left field, scoring Picone and Amory to extend the Red Fox lead to 5-1.
• Brian Hart singled to deep right-center field to begin the seventh inning.  Hart ended up on third after Niko Amory grounded out and a wild pitch from Jacob Knight.  Another wild pitch from Knight scored Hart from third base to give the Red Foxes a 6-1 lead.
• Manhattan loaded the bases with one out in the eighth inning.  A ball hit by Alfredo Delgato fell into shallow center field, scoring one run to cut Marist's lead down to 6-2.  Skyler Pichardo would get the Red Foxes out of the jam, striking out one and causing another to pop out to first base to end the inning.
• Nick Cantone came in to close the game for the Red Foxes.  Manhattan loaded the bases with one out in the ninth inning.  Trevor Santos lined a ball into the gap in right-center field, scoring two runs to cut the Marist lead to 6-4.  Jake Knop then reached base on a fielder's choice while scoring another run to the cut the to one.  Cantone would collect the last out to end the game, as the Red Foxes won 6-5.

 

KEY STATS

• Manhattan's Logan Mutatalla pitched a gem of a game in game one, keeping the Red Foxes hitless through the first 5.1 innings.  He would finish with eight strikeouts while allowing three hits and three runs in 6.0 innings pitched.
• Trevor Backman entered the game in the fourth inning of game one.  He struck out four while allowing one hit and one run in 3.0 innings pitched.
• Robbie Armitage went 2 for 4 with two RBIs and a double
• Tyler Kapuscinski finished game one going 1 for 3 with one RBI and a double
• Matt Rubayo and Niko Amory each had an RBI in the game one loss.
• Alex Pansini finished game two with six hits and one run allowed while striking out five in 5.0 innings pitched.
• Skyler Pichardo made an appearance in game two, striking out five while allowing one run on two hits in 3.0 innings pitched.
• Picone and Rubayo both recorded two RBIs in game two
• Niko Amory had one RBI in game two

  

UP NEXT

Marist and Manhattan will meet again for a doubleheader on Sunday at McCann Field to conclude the four-game series.  First pitch will be at noon