The Marist Red Foxes came into today riding a three game win streak and hosted the Siena Saints for an afternoon double header.
Junior Calista Phippen took the mound for the Red Foxes and Marist did not waste time getting the star pitcher run support.
Senior Caroline Baratta led off the 1st inning with a walk and sophomore Sam Freeland followed that by getting on with an error which allowed there to be runners on second and third base with nobody out. Later in the inning, senior Kaley Coltrain singled in Baratta and Freeland to give the Red Foxes a 2-0 early lead.
The focus was on Phippen as she was flawless. She pitched a complete game shutout, only allowing three hits and striking out seven in the process. The Red Foxes started off the afternoon with a defensive 2-0 win and improved to 7-6 on the season.
“When you’re pitching ahead in the count it’s a lot easier to pitch,” head coach Joe Ausanio said. “Your team stays in the game when you throw strikes.”
Marists’ sophomore pitcher Meghan Haff started game two of the doubleheader. Haff pitched five strong innings, only allowing two runs while striking out three in the process. It was 2-0 in the 5th inning and with junior Hailee Jantoro on base, Baratta hit a monster two-run home run to tie up the game at two apiece for the Red Foxes.
In the bottom of the 6th, Marist was in the prime position to take the lead, but the offense stalled and they weren’t able to get runs on the board. Following that, no runs were scored in the seventh inning and the game was headed to extra innings.
The top of the 8th was stressful for the Red Foxes as Siena led off the inning with a baserunner because of an error, then a perfect sac bunt by Sienas sophomore Antonia Albia moved the runner to second base. Following a wild pitch and a single, Siena regained the lead at 3-2.
Down to their final three outs, the Red Foxes remained resilient. With one out and nobody on, junior Kaley Coltrain hit a moonshot over the center field wall to even the score one again at 3-3.
In the top of the 9th, Siena started off the inning with back to back singles, a few ground outs later and Siena took the lead once again at 4-3. The Red Foxes went scoreless in the bottom of the 9th and ended up losing 4-3, splitting the doubleheader with Siena and snapping their four game win streak.
“Ton of potential, the biggest thing was we gave them their runs today no earned runs from our pitchers in the 2nd game. If we clean up our defense we easily sweep the doubleheader,” Ausanio said about the potential of his team.
The Red Foxes moved to 7-7 following the split and are scheduled to play Saint Peters in a double header tomorrow.
Edited by Nick Stanziale
Photo from Marist College Athletics