MORAGA, California – The Marist softball team split a pair of games on its first day in the Saint Mary's Round Robin Tournament.
The Red Foxes topped North Dakota State, 8-3, in their first game before falling to Saint Mary's, 4-1
The Red Foxes are now 18-6 on the season. Marist had won five straight and 16 out of 17 prior to the Saint Mary's game.
- After Miah McDonald singled and stole second, Maddie Pleasants' two-run homer on the eighth pitch of her at bat gave Marist a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first.
- The Red Foxes added three more in the bottom of the second. Peyton Pusey and McDonald had back-to-back RBI doubles, and McDonald later scored on an error following a double steal.
- North Dakota State scored in the top of the third, but the Red Foxes countered in the bottom half when Sophia Recrosio's RBI single brought home Anna Sidlowski.
- North Dakota State cut its deficit to 6-3 with two runs in the fourth.
- Marist added two more runs in the bottom of the fifth. Pusey scored on a wild pitch, and Pleasants scored on an error following a base hit by Haley Ahr.
- Marist outhit North Dakota State, 14-8. Pleasants went 3-for-4 with a homer, two runs scored, two RBIs, and a stolen base. Alyssa Grupp went 3-for-4.
- Pusey, McDonald, and Pleasants scored two runs apiece. Pusey and McDonald each had two hits.
- Kiley Myers went the distance as she improved to 7-2 on the season. Myers struck out four and didn't walk anyone.
- The game was scoreless until the bottom of fifth, when Saint Mary's scored four runs. The inning included a two-run triple by Sam Buckley.
- Marist loaded the bases with one out in the top of the seventh. Recrosio scored on a fielder's choice off the bat of Haley Ahr, but the Red Foxes were unable to push any other runs across.
- Grupp led the Red Foxes with two hits.
- Pusey reached safely three times with a hit and two walks.
- Sidlowski pitched a complete game with five strikeouts and just one walk issued.
- Marist will close out play in the Saint Mary's Round Robin – and its Spring Break trip – on Saturday.
- The Red Foxes will face North Dakota State at 1 p.m., and then take on Saint Mary's at 6 p.m.
- The Marist-Saint Mary's game will be shown on ESPN+.