Marist baseball won both midday contests against Albany Tuesday afternoon, starting their second win streak of the year in Poughkeepsie.
The Red Foxes (11-20, 4-5 MAAC conference) used quality appearances from seven different pitchers, the long ball and erratic pitches from the Great Danes (4-21, 3-5 America East conference) to earn two come-from-behind victories. Marist now sits in the sixth and final MAAC playoff spot with five weeks until the end of the season.
Marist won their second MAAC series over Mount St. Mary’s over the weekend and looked to carry momentum into the midweek slate; the Red Fox bats were active, posting 20 runs over those three games.
Albany took the lead immediately in game one of today’s slate, with freshman outfielder/infielder Anthony Scarabino scoring from third after a fielding error by graduate student outfielder/infielder Johnny Decker. Albany quadrupled their advantage in the second inningthanks to a wild pitch and then a two-RBI single from sophomore outfielder Luke Filippi.
The teams traded runs over the subsequent frames. Marist sophomore infielder Bayram Hot got Marist on the board via a wild pitch after stealing second and moving to third on a ground out. Albany junior outfielder Ryan Ferremi restored the four-run lead with an RBI double in the top of the fourth.
The Red Fox bats came alive in the next half-inning. Graduate student infielder Justin Kapuscinski led off the inning with a single, followed by two walks to load the bases for freshman outfielder Lewis Rodriguez. The rookie showed bunt on the first pitch he saw and then launched his first collegiate grand slam to left, tying the game at five. Rodriguez continues to show flashes of success at the college level and is one of three Red Foxes to have started every game.
Sophomore catcher Kyle Pollack gave Marist the lead in the fifth, launching a solo shot for his first home run of the year. Graduate student outfielder Colin Mackle’s RBI single gave the Red Foxes a 7-5 lead, which they padded by scoring twice off wild pitches in the sixth.
The Marist pitching staff fared well in the first game, striking out nine and only giving up five hits. Freshman Andrew Fierro had the most time on the mound, logging 3 1/3 innings and five strikeouts en route to his first win on the year. The Red Foxes took the seven-inning contest 9-5.
Within an hour, the second game was underway. The Great Danes started the same way they did in the previous matchup, jumping out to an early 4-0 lead. Ferremi got it started with an RBI double; Fillipi made it 3-0 with a two-run base hit; redshirt freshman catcher Levi McAllister capped off the inning with a solo bomb to left-center.
The Danes’ early explosion meant junior starting pitcher Ty Morris only pitched one inning on the day. The Red Foxes clawed their way back into the game, scoring one in the second and third before a Hot two-run homer tied it at four.
A quick cat-and-mouse game ensued as Albany jumped in front by one in the fourth before Marist tied it in the fifth. Albany re-took the one-run lead in the top of the seventh, but a two-out solo home run from Kapuscinski in the bottom of the frame sent the game to extra innings.
In the bottom of the eighth, Rodriguez got on base with a single and then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Sophomore outfielder Austin Bohlman put the ball in play for what seemed to be a routine ground ball, but when freshman infielder Cooper Loyal’s throw to first went high, Rodriguez scored and walked off the game for Marist 7-6.
Graduate student pitcher Riley Orr picked up his third win of the season after two scoreless innings with three strikeouts.
Marist now has its second win streak of the year, as their bats are beginning to produce consistently. The pitching staff is settling down, but limiting walks and free bases will be essential to the team’s success in conference play; the Red Foxes gave up 11 walks on Tuesday.
Marist will be encouraged by solid outings from Hot and Rodriguez. Hot went 3-5 with a home run and two RBIs; Rodriguez went 3-6 with a grand slam.
Rider comes to Poughkeepsie this weekend to play three games against Marist; first pitch on Friday is slated for 3 p.m.
Edited by Max Rosen and Luke Sassa
Photo Credit: Jaylen Rizzo
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