Marist Red Foxes Splits DH, Wins Series

BEL AIR, MD – The Marist baseball team split a series ending doubleheader against the University of Pennsylvania Quakers on Sunday, winning the first game 5-0 before losing the second 5-4 (F/11).

With yesterday’s 4-3 win over Penn, the Red Foxes secure their third series win of the season and currently stand at 8-7 on the season.

In Game 1, senior Tyler Kirkpatrick led the team offensively, going 2-for-3 with two home runs, two runs scored and two RBI, while redshirt senior Matt Pagano finished 1-for-3 with a run scored and two RBI. Junior Andrew Rouse chipped in a 1-for-3 effort with one run scored and redshirt freshman Tyler Kapuscinski finished 1-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to seven games. Sophomore Frankie Gregoire and junior Matt Iantosca each chipped in one hit on the day.

On the mound, redshirt junior Scott Boches pitched a complete game and got his second win on the season, throwing seven innings while giving up no runs on seven hits with one walk and nine strikeouts.

In Game 2, Rouse led Marist with a 3-for-5 effort with one run scored and one RBI, while redshirt junior Greg Kocinski finished 1-for-5 with a run scored and one RBI, sophomore Anthony Lazar went 1-for-5 with two runs scored and apuscinski finished with one hit to extend his hitting streak to eight games.

On the hill, junior Mike Coss got the start and threw five and one third innings, giving up no runs on just one hit with two walks and seven strikeouts. Freshman Austin Phillips pitching one third of an inning and gave up no runs on no hits with two walks and one strikeout and senior John Parisi finished with one inning of work with three runs on three hits with a walk and one strikeout. Senior Ryan Thomas pitched one and two thirds innings, giving up one run on one hit with two strikeouts, junior Tony Romanelli threw two and two thirds innings, giving up no runs on no hits with two walks and two strikeouts and freshman Conor McNamara got his first loss of the year, throwing one third of an inning, giving up one run on two hits with one walk.

GAME 1:
Marist got on the board first in the top of the second inning. Rouse led off with a single up the middle and Randy Taveras reached on a error by the shortstop to set up men on first and second. Both runners advanced to second and third respectively on an error by the pitcher, before Pagano single to right field, scoring both runners to give the Red Foxes a 2-0 lead. Iantosca followed with a single through the right side, setting up men on first and third and following a strikeout, Iantosca was caught stealing at second base but Pagano was able to score for the 3-0 lead.

In the top of the fifth, following a ground out to lead off, Kirkpatrick smacked his first home run of the year to right field for a 4-0 lead.

Two innings later in the top of the seventh, following a fly out, Kirkpatrick again smoked a solo home run to right field to give Marist the 5-0 lead.

Down to their last at bat in the bottom of the seventh, Boches went 1-2-3 to secure the 5-0 victory and the series win.

GAME 2:
For the second game in a row, the Red Foxes opened the scoring in the top of the second inning. Rouse reached on an error by the second baseman and advanced to second with one out. During the next at bat, he stole third and Pagano walked to set up men on first and third. Iantosca followed with an RBI sac bunt, scoring Rouse and Marist was ahead 1-0.

The score remained the same until the top of the sixth when Lazar led off with a walk.

Kapuscinski followed with a sac bunt, advancing Lazar to second and following a strikeout, Lazar stole third. Kocinski followed with an RBI double that scored Lazar and Rouse followed with an RBI single that scored Kocinski and the Red Foxes extended their lead to 3-0.

The Quakers got on the board for the first time on the day in the bottom of the seventh inning. With Parisi on the mound, Andrew Murmane led off with a single to left field and Chris Adams followed with a single to right field to set up men on first and second with no outs.

Tim Graul walked to load the bases and Sean Phelan followed with an RBI ground out Matt McGeagh followed with a second RBI ground out and suddenly the score was 3-2 Marist.

Daniel Halevy singled through the right side, scoring Graul and the game was tied at 3-3.
The Red Foxes regained the lead in the top of the eighth. Lazar and Kapuscinski led off with back-to-back singles. Gregoire followed with a double play the retired Kapuscinski at second and advanced Lazar to third with two outs. Following a Penn pitching change, Kocinski reached on an error by the first baseman that scored Lazar and Marist was ahead 4-3.

The score remained the same until the bottom of the ninth. With Thomas on the mound, Adams led off with a single through the right side. Graul advanced him to second with a sac bunt and Romanelli replaced Thomas pitching. Peter Matt pinch hit and during the at bat, Adams advanced to third on a wild pitch before Matt walked to set up men on first and third.

McGeagh hit an RBI sac fly to right field that scored Adams and the game was tied again at 4-4.

The score remained tied until the bottom of the 12thin inning when McNamara replaced Romanelli on the mound and Halevy led off with a single to third base. Jakob Levinson pinch ran for Halevy and Morris followed with a hit by pitch to set up first and second with no outs.

Kevin Thomas followed with a sac bunt that advanced both runners to third and second before Matt Tola was intentionally walked to load the bases. Murmane followed with an RBI single that scored Levison and the Quakers emerged victorious 5-4.

Up next, Marist returns home for its home opener against the New Jersey Institute of Technology on Wednesday (3 PM) at McCann Field.