Marist Splits a Doubleheader at Monmouth

By Zach Kelley

WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ – The Marist baseball team split a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference doubleheader against the Monmouth Hawks on Sunday afternoon.

In game one, Monmouth led 1-0 for the majority of the game until the seventh inning when Ben McNeill lined a ball down the left field line scoring two runs to give the Red Foxes a 2-1 lead. Skyler Pichardo struck out the last batter to save game one for Marist. Monmouth won game two by a score of 8-0.

Marist comes out of the series with a 10-6 record while Monmouth improves to 16-8.

Game One Summary
Marist 2, Monmouth 1 – W: Candelario (2-1), L: Steckline (1-1), S: Pichardo (1)

The Hawks scored the first run of the game in the second inning. With two outs, Zach Schild grounded a ball up the middle into center field scoring Dennis Filipowski from third. Monmouth led 1-0 for the majority of the contest.

Monmouth’s Alex Barker held the Red Foxes to no runs in 5.2 innings pitched on the mound. He struck out five while allowing just four hits.

Erubiel Candelario held the Hawks to just one run while striking out seven in six innings pitched.

The Red Foxes rallied in the seventh inning. Tyler Kapuscinski drew a leadoff walk, which was followed by a bunt single from Matt Rubayo to put runners on first and second. Ben McNeill lined a ball down the left field line with two outs to score pinch-runner Devin Boone and Rubayo to give the Red Foxes a 2-1 lead.

Skyler Pichardo entered the game in the seventh inning and struck out the final batter to earn the save and give the Red Foxes the 2-1 victory.

Game Two Summary
Monmouth 8, Marist 0 – W: Hensey (3-0), L: Keenan (1-1)

The Hawks struck first early in game two as an RBI single from Johnny Zega with one out in the third inning put Monmouth up 1-0.

Monmouth added to their lead in the fifth inning with a two-run home run from Alex Barker and an RBI single from Dennis Filipowski gave the Hawks a 4-0 advantage.

A three-run home run by Joey Ventresca with two outs in the sixth inning increased the Hawks lead to 7-0. The final run of the game was scored late in the seventh inning as a single from Max Graber scored one more run.

Reece Armitage and Ben McNeill each recorded two hits for the Red Foxes. Brian Hart, Tyler Kapuscinski, and Gene Napolitano each recorded a hit as well.

Jack Keenan started on the mound for the Red Foxes, allowing one run while striking out five in four innings pitched.

Isaac Brown made his collegiate debut for the Red Foxes in the seventh inning, causing the only batter he faced to fly out to center field to end the inning.