Marist baseball dropped the first game of their home opener double-header in a 19-7 loss to Niagara on Friday.
The Red Foxes (7-17, 2-2 MAAC) could not limit Niagara’s opportunistic offense, as Niagara (16-7, 4-0 MAAC) scored early and often. Today’s win marked six straight victories for the red-hot Purple Eagles.
Sophomore pitcher Steven Mazza struggled early, as Niagara loaded the bases, and Mazza walked in two runners in the first inning. Another run would score in the second inning on a passed ball to give the Purple Eagles an early 3-0 lead.
Walks were a consistent problem for Marist pitchers throughout the game, as Niagara batters walked 11 times compared to only three walks for the Marist offense.
Sophomore outfielder Ethan Conrad was a bright spot for the Red Foxes in the tough loss. Conrad produced Marist’s first run of the game with a towering home run and extended his hit streak to nine games. Later in the game, Conrad ripped an RBI double; he finished the game 3-4 with a single, double, home run and two RBIs.
Conrad recently made NCAA history for becoming the first player to record four triples in a single game, and he has continued his productive streak at the plate.
Graduate student outfielder Colin Mackle is on a hit streak of his own; he finished 2-4 with two singles, pushing his hit streak to six consecutive games. Mackle has been red-hot at the plate lately, notching ten hits in his last 22 at-bats.
Graduate student catcher Danny Moshier went 4-5 at the plate with four singles, an RBI and a run scored.
Last year’s MAAC Rookie of the Year, sophomore shortstop Bayram Hot, has continued to struggle mightily at the plate in his sophomore season. Hot finished 0-5 against Niagara, bringing his batting average on the season down to .159, a stark contrast from the impressive .382 average he posted in his freshman season.
Niagara produced their runs early in the game by taking advantage of walks and passed balls, but as the game continued, the Purple Eagles put on a display of power hitting. Mazza started the fourth inning strong, with back-to-back strikeouts, but the Purple Eagles responded with a two-out rally. Senior shortstop Brady Desjardins hit a solo home run, and the following batter, redshirt junior first baseman Eric Rataczak, hit a home run of his own to extend the Purple Eagles’ lead to 5-1.
In the following inning, Niagara would hit consecutive home runs off Mazza for the second straight inning. Redshirt senior catcher Matt Ward blasted a two-run home run, followed by a solo shot by freshman right fielder Rees Kozar to give the Purple Eagles an 8-1 lead.
Mazza closed out the inning on the mound, ending his day with eight runs allowed on nine hits and three walks, along with three strikeouts in five innings pitched.
Marist’s pitching struggles continued as freshman pitcher Colin Carver entered the game for Marist in the sixth inning but would only record one out before walking two batters and giving up a three-run home run to junior third baseman Vincent Mauro.
The Purple Eagles filled up the box score with 19 runs 17 hits — including a whopping six home runs — and 11 walks. If the Red Foxes hope to find more success as the season develops, they will need to count on a better performance from the pitching staff as a whole.
The Marist offense is potent, and has the ability to produce runs, but will need help from the mound to keep games in reach.
Marist will take the field against the Purple Eagles again today at 4 p.m. to complete their double-header. The series finale will take place at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
Edited by Sam Murphy
Photo and Graphic by Raegan Van Zandt
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