BUFFALO, New York – The Marist softball team won its fourth MAAC championship in program history on Saturday.
The third-seeded Red Foxes defeated top-seeded Canisius by a score of 6-2 at the Demske Sports Complex.
Kiley Myers was named Most Outstanding Player of the Championship.
Haley Ahr,
Hannah Brock,
Alyssa Grupp, and
Maddie Pleasants were named to the All-Championship Team.
- Marist scored the game's first run in the top of the second. Shea Walsh had a one-out single, and scored on a double to the right-center gap by Isabella Manory.
- The Red Foxes added two in the top of the third. Sam Freeland's double brought in Peyton Pusey, and Ahr brought in Freeland with a single.
- Canisius got on the board in the third as Nicole Rivait's single brought home Saige Alfaro.
- Christie McGee-Ross' solo homer cut Marist's lead to 3-2 in the fifth.
- Marist tacked on three runs in the seventh, all with two outs. Ahr's double brought home Freeland. Grupp then reached on an error, which allowed Ahr to score. Manory's single then scored Grupp.
- Myers closed the game by retiring the last seven hitters.
- Pusey had a game-high three hits, while Freeland scored a game-high two runs.
- Ahr and Manory each had two hits and two RBIs.
- Myers went the distance and scattered seven hits. She struck out four and walked just one as her record improved to 13-5.
- Alfaro and McGee-Ross each had two hits and two RBIs.
- Marist previously won MAAC championships in 2006, 2013, and 2016.
- Head coach Joe Ausanio became the third head coach in MAAC history to win three championships.
- The last #3 seed to win the MAAC championship was Iona in 2014. Marist previously won the championship as a #3 in 2013.
- Marist did not commit an error in the Championship. Walsh and Manory combined to throw out five of eight potential base stealers.
- Marist improved to 29-28.
- Canisius is 30-16-1.
- Marist will find out its NCAA Regional location and opponents on Sunday night.
- The selection show will air on ESPN2 at 7 p.m.
