Riding a nine-game winning streak, Marist softball entered their spring break schedule motivated to continue their hot play. Although the team dropped their final three contests in California, the Red Foxes improved to 18-8 with MAAC conference play on the horizon.
Though the final game of their spring break was an extra-innings heartbreaker, the Red Foxes enter MAAC play 10 games above .500.
Marist currently has six hitters batting over .300, and three with an OPS north of 1.000. They rank 47th in the nation with a .311 team batting average and possess a team ERA of 3.15. The staff has been highlighted by graduate student pitcher Kiley Myers and freshman pitcher/outfielder Anna Sidlowski with ERAs of 2.17 and 2.42, respectively.
Jacksonville Spring Break Challenge:
The Red Foxes began their spring break in Jacksonville, Florida on Friday, March 8, taking on Presbyterian College (10-18) in a doubleheader.
Myers started in the circle and was dominant. Myers tossed her second consecutive shutout, allowing four hits and zero walks while striking out eight in a 2-0 victory. In Myers’ last three outings, she has thrown 13.2 scoreless innings, allowing five hits and striking out 14.
Redshirt sophomore Haley Ahr launched a solo home run in the second inning and that was all the offense that was needed. The Red Foxes tacked on an insurance run in the seventh inning with a double steal executed by graduate student outfielder Sophia Recrosio and sophomore catcher Isabella Manory.
In game two of the twin bill, the Red Foxes powered their way to a 14-1 victory in five innings on the heels of a seven-run first inning, capped off by a grand slam off the bat of freshman infielder Samantha Rogers. Following her first collegiate round-tripper, Rogers was named MAAC Rookie of the Week.
The offensive barrage continued in the next inning with another grand slam off the bat of senior utility Miah McDonald, ending the game due to the mercy rule and extending the winning streak to 11.
Sidlowski picked up her sixth win of the season in the shutout, throwing four scoreless innings and striking out three.
The next day, the Red Foxes squared off against the University of North Florida (19-8). Through the fifth inning, the game was knotted up at one apiece.
North Florida junior pitcher/infielder Allison Benning sent an RBI single to center to break the tie; North Florida added to their lead with a four-run sixth inning, extending the lead to 6-1 and snapping Marist’s 11-game winning streak.
Due to inclement weather, the Red Foxes did not take the field again until Tuesday, March 12 against Bucknell University (9-15). The Red Foxes jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the second inning following a squeeze bunt by junior utility Maddie Gore to score senior utility Alyssa Grupp.
In the fifth inning, junior outfielder Kaitlyn Husic blasted a solo home run, extending the Marist lead to two. This was followed by a McDonald triple down the right field line, adding one more run in what would be a 3-0 bounce-back victory.
Sidlowski was terrific once again, hurling another complete game shutout, lowering her season ERA to 2.50.
Later that night, the Red Foxes faced Jacksonville University recently coming off a victory over the No. 12-ranked Florida State Seminoles. Myers and the defense were on lockdown throughout the game. Myers went the distance, throwing a complete game and the defense made multiple tremendous plays behind her.
The contest remained scoreless until junior infielder Ronni Howard ripped a two-run single up the middle to give the Red Foxes a 2-0 lead. Jacksonville quickly responded with one of their own in the bottom half.
With more damage looming, Sidlowski tracked down a fly ball in the left field gap, flashing the leather to escape the inning holding a one-run lead. The 2-1 score stood firm, giving the Red Foxes their 13th victory in 14 games and giving Marist a 4-1 record in the tournament.
Bethune-Cookman Double Header:
Marist continued their winning ways in Daytona Beach, Florida against Bethune-Cookman University (7-19) by taking two one-run contests.
Marist jumped out to an early 5-0 lead in the second inning of game one via Bethune-Cookman miscues and looked to be in control. However, due to sloppy third-inning defense and an RBI triple in the fourth, Bethune-Cookman tied the game up at five runs apiece.
In the top of the sixth inning, junior pitcher/utility Maddie Pleasants brought in sophomore outfielder Peyton Pusey, who would be the difference in the game, with a huge two-out RBI single.
Pleasants started the game in the circle as well, pitching five innings allowing five runs (only one earned) and striking out five. Myers came on for the two-inning save, striking out three batters to preserve the victory.
Sidlowski and Bethune-Cookman junior starting pitcher Angelina Badalament dueled for the first five innings exchanging zeroes until Marist finally broke through in the top of the sixth. Pleasants played hero, driving in Pusey to give the Red Foxes a lead they would not relinquish.
Sidlowski tossed yet another complete game shutout, allowing five hits and striking out two in seven scoreless. The freshman sensation has made five starts in March, allowing zero runs in 29 innings. She improved her record to 8-1 with a 2.17 ERA and earned MAAC Rookie of the Week as the Red Foxes won their 15th game in their last 16.
Saint Mary’s Round Robin:
To conclude their spring break trip, Marist traveled across the country to Moraga, California to compete in the Saint Mary’s Round Robin tournament.
The Red Foxes’ offense came out red hot in game one against North Dakota State University (12-20). Pleasants thumped a two-run home run in the first and Pusey roped an RBI double in the second. Later in the inning, McDonald drove in Pusey with an RBI double of her own, increasing the lead to 4-0.
The 1-2-3 in the lineup–– Pusey, McDonald and Pleasants–– combined to go 7-12 with four RBIs and six runs scored. Grupp also went 3-4 with three singles.
Myers hurled another complete game, allowing eight hits, three earned runs, walking none and striking out four.
The offense went dormant against Saint Mary’s College (17-9) in a 4-1 loss.
The game was scoreless until the bottom of the fifth when the Gaels tacked on four runs off Sidlowski. Freshman infielder Sam Buckley laced a two-RBI triple into right-center to give the Gaels much-needed insurance runs.
Although Marist scored one in the top of the seventh, it did not prove to be enough. Sophomore pitcher Odhi Vazquez allowed five hits, one earned run and struck out five in a complete game effort.
After scoring eight runs the previous day against North Dakota State, junior pitcher Savy Williams went the distance, shutting Marist out on four hits, one walk and six strikeouts. On the other side, Pleasants struggled with her command, yielding six walks in six innings.
The game was scoreless until the bottom of the sixth. The Bison tacked on two runs against Pleasants, one via a wild pitch and the second run produced by sophomore catcher Zoe King singling into left-center field, propelling the Bison to a 2-0 victory.
In the final game of their trip, the Red Foxes lost a heartbreaker to Saint Mary’s, falling 12-11 in eight innings.
Neither lineup could not be stopped, as Pusey, McDonald, Pleasants, and Ahr combined to go 10-20 with nine RBIs and eight runs scored while the Gaels saw eight of their nine hitters tally at least two hits. The game featured five home runs, two off the bat of McDonald and one from Ahr, while Gael’s freshman outfielder Camille Lara hit an inside-the-parker.
The inside-the-park home run brought in three runs, which leveled the game at seven in the fourth inning. The game remained knotted until Sidlowski hit a sacrifice fly in the top of the seventh inning to give Marist a one-run advantage.
The Gaels answered with the game in the balance, as Vazquez ripped an RBI single through the left side, sending the game to extra innings.
In the top of the eighth, the Red Foxes punched right back with three doubles from Pusey, Pleasants, and Ahr bringing in three more runs to retake the lead 11-8.
Marist had a chance to close the game in the bottom of the eighth, but sophomore infielder Tori Cervantes kept the Gaels alive with a two-RBI single to right-center field to cut the lead to one. Freshman infielder Alex Cutonilli followed Cervantes with a walk-off two-RBI double to left field to win the game 12-11.
The Red Foxes will be back in action on Saturday, March 23 against Quinnipiac University (9-6) to open up MAAC play. First pitch is scheduled for noon at Softball Park in Poughkeepsie.
Edited by Aidan Lavin and Luke Sassa
Photo from Marist Athletics via Stockton Photo
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