Following a split with the Siena Saints on Wednesday, the Marist Red Foxes got off to a good start when they hosted Saint Peters.
Marist struck first and got two runs on the board to start the bottom half of the first. Senior Caroline Baratta made an intense play as she stole home putting Marist up 1-0. Shortly after, the Red Foxes continued to find momentum. Sophomore Hanna Brock sailed a ball out to center field for a sacrifice fly which allowed freshman Miah McDonald to cross home plate, giving Marist a 2-0 lead.
During the top of the second inning, Saint Peters looked to answer and were able to cut the deficit in half. During the bottom of the second inning, the Red Foxes continued to hit efficiently. Junior Haillee Jantorono, grounded out to third base and sophomore Shea Walsh scored. After an eventful two innings, Marist held the lead by a score of 3-1.
The pace of the game began to calm down in the third inning as neither team was able to score. During the top of the fourth inning, freshmen Maiah Skakal scored her second run bringing the game within one once again. She would later go on to have a hat trick, scoring each of her team’s runs.
“I thought she had a good game, she plays a good third base,” head coach Joe Ausanio said. The Red Foxes exploded out of the gate in the bottom of the sixth inning. They were able to rack up four runs which basically put the game out of reach. Ausanio described this moment by saying, “when we execute our game plan this team is a fun team to watch.” Marist came out victorious defeating the Peacocks 7-2
In game 2 of the double header, Marist hoped to mirror a similar performance. In the first inning, the Red Foxes were able to get on the board. McDonald grounded out to second base which allowed sophomore Sam Freeland to advance to third and Baratta to score.
Shortly afterwards, junior Kaley Coltrain hit a two-run homer. After an impressive first inning Marist led the Peacocks 4-0. Saint Peters were the only team to score in the second inning as they were able to get two runs and cut the deficit in half.
During the bottom of the third inning, graduate student Ali Milam hit a two run homer to center field. Marist was now leading the Peacocks comfortably at a score of 7-2. Milam was on fire as she hit her second home run in the fifth inning and extended the Red Foxes lead to 8-2.
“Alley has been big all week,” Ausanio said. “She knows what it takes to get to the top, her leadership is showing, and she keeps a positive attitude even when she has a tough day at the plate.”
The highlight of the game was when Sophomore Megan Davis hit a walk off grand slam on her first collegiate hit.
“What a good way to get a first collegiate hit, it just doesn’t get any better than that,” Ausanio said.
The final score was 12-3 as the Red Foxes put on another impressive show. This was the second time all season that they won a game via mercy rule. They are scheduled to play another double header tomorrow against Iona.
Edited by Nick Stanziale
Photo from Marist College Athletics