Coming off a series sweep against Saint Peter’s this past weekend, Marist Baseball came in hot today in their Home Opener against Siena. In the first game of their doubleheader, redshirt senior and pitcher Conor McNamara started on the mound for the Red Foxes.
The Red Foxes had a slow start to the game but came alive in the 4th inning. Senior Nick Cantone relieved McNamara with two men on base for Siena. Cantone’s strikeout ended the inning, shifting the momentum into the batter’s box. Senior infielder Robbie Armitage doubled down the left-field line followed by a walk from junior outfielder Brian Hart after a 3-2 count. Redshirt senior and outfielder Matt Rubayo singled, Hart advanced to second, and Robbie scored. The Red Foxes scored 14 runs with 10 hits in the bottom half of that inning.
“We had nothing going in the first three innings. Then I looked up and we were up five runs. I have never been a part of a 14 run inning. Momentum is huge in baseball and we had a lot going for us today,” Coach Tracz said.
The Armitage brothers (Robbie and Reece) are two key players to the team’s lineup this season. The brothers combined added four runs to the board: Robbie adding two hits and two RBIs. “If Robbie and Reece are doing well, the rest of the team is. It’s weird, but it works for us,” Tracz said.
Transferring their energy into the next game, five runs were scored in the bottom of the first. Junior catcher Niko Armory homered to left field bringing in sophomore Colin Mackle. Rubayo nailed a three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth: he totaled six RBIs in game two.
The Red Foxes stay home this weekend as they host Niagara in a four-game series. “I believe they’re the best team we’re going to play this year,” Tracz mentioned.
“With the guys being pulled back, they have taken their frustration into the games. We haven’t practiced but I believe the more games we play, the better we’re going to get. They’re focused on what is ahead of them, not what happened in the last eight months. There’s one mission and it is to qualify for the MAAC tournament”.
Edited by Nicholas Stanziale
Photo Credit: Marist College Athletics