Red Foxes Baseball Loses in Extras 7-6 to VCU

RICHMOND, VA – The Red Foxes lost a nail biter in extra innings on Saturday 7-6 to the VCU Rams. The loss drops Marist to 2-6 (0-0 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) while the win brings the Rams to 5-4 (0-0 Atlantic 10).

Senior co-captain Graham McIntire led the Red Foxes with a 3-for-6 effort and one run batted in. Freshman Frankie Gregoire went 2-for-4 with two walks and one run batted in. Marist had four players with multi-hit games with the team totaling 13 on the afternoon.

Sophomore Spencer Bunting got the start for the Red Foxes pitching four innings while giving up three runs on six hits while walking three and striking out one. Sophomore Tony Romanelli threw three innings giving up two runs on two hits with no walks and one strikeout, junior Ryan Thomas pitched four innings, giving up four runs on one hit with four walks and two strikeouts and sophomore Mike Coss threw one inning and gave up no runs on one hit. 

Senior Cody Acker led VCU with a 3-for-4 effort, while freshman Brody Cook went 3-for-4 with one run batted in. The Rams totaled 13 hits on the afternoon.

The Red Foxes opened the scoring in the top of the third inning when McIntire walked to lead off and then stole second. Two batters, later, junior Tyler Kirkpatrick reached on an error by the shortstop, scoring McIntire and Marist led 1-0. Gregoire followed up with a single and advanced to second, giving the Red Foxes men on second and third with one out. During the next at bat, a passed ball allowed Kirkpatrick to score and Gregoire to advance to third and Marist was ahead 2-0. Two batters later, junior Greg Kocinski singled to center field, scoring Gregoire and the Red Foxes held a 3-0 advantage.
The Rams got on the board in the bottom of the inning. Senior Walker Haymaker singled to lead off and following a pop out to the shortstop, junior Matt Davis singled to left, setting up  men on first and second with one out. Two batters later, a passed ball set up men on second and third and junior Darian Carpenter singled scoring both runners and the score was 3-2 in favor of Marist.

The Red Foxes continued their offensive momentum in the top of the fourth when sophomore Matt Iantosca singled and advanced on passed ball and third on a baulk. McIntire followed with an RBI groundout and Marist had a 4-2 lead.

For the second straight inning, the Rams answered with a run in the bottom of the inning. Acker singled through the right side with one out and Cook singled on a bunt to third base and VCU had men on first and second. After a double steal set up second and third for the Rams, Haymaker grounded out to second, scoring Acker and advancing Cook to third and the score was 4-3.

In the top of the sixth, McIntire singled up the middle with one out and stole second and third during the next at bat. Sophomore Andrew Rouse walked, followed by a sac fly by Kirkpatrick, giving Marist the 5-3 lead.

The bottom of the inning saw Brett Hileman reach on a throwing error by the second baseman. Following a strikeout, Acker walked and Cook singled to left field, scoring Hileman and making the score 5-4 in favor of the Red Foxes.

The Rams continued their offensive momentum in the bottom of the seventh. Carpenter reached on a throwing error by the third baseman and stole second during the next at bat. Two batters later, senior Jimmy Kerrigan singled to left, scoring Carpenter and the game was tied 5-5.

Marist broke the tie in the top of the eighth. McIntire singled to first and following a pitching change, Rouse was hit by a pitch and Kirkpatrick walked, loading the bases with no outs. Another pitching change was followed by a sacrifice fly by Gregoire, scoring McIntire and Marist was back ahead 6-5.

For the fourth time in the game, VCU answered a Red Fox scoring inning with their own in the bottom of the eighth. Thomas replaced Romanelli on the mound and Cook lead off with a single to right field. A sac bunt moved Cook to second and two batters later Davis singled to right scoring Cook and the game, tying the game 6-6.

Neither team scored in the ninth and the game went to extra innings.

Four innings later, in the bottom of the 13th, following a pitching change of Coss replacing Ryan for Marist in the 12th, the Rams ended the game when Kerrigan and Acker  were hit by pitches with one out. During the next at bat, Kerrigan stole third and scored on a throwing error by the catcher and the Rams walked off with the 7-6 win.