Marist baseball concluded the first of a three-game weekend slate against Rider with a lopsided 17-12 loss, snapping their three-game win streak.
Marist (11-21, 4-6 MAAC conference) struggled on the mound throughout the contest, ultimately rotating through five different pitchers who all combined to allow 19 hits, 17 runs and six walks. Rider (14-15, 10-0 MAAC) continued to dominate against MAAC conference opponents, and the Broncs’ offense looked unstoppable as they gave the Red Foxes fits all afternoon long.
The first inning was marked by struggles on the mound for Marist, with sophomore pitcher Tyler Hartley getting off to a bumpy start. After walking a batter and then plunking senior catcher/first baseman Brian Skettini, the Broncs had two runners on with only one out. Freshman infielder Joe Tiroly made Marist pay by slapping a two-RBI double to center field, staking the Broncs out to an early 2-0 lead.
Hartley hit another batter with a pitch, moving Tiroly to third, setting up sophomore outfielder Erich Hartmann to drive in another run for Rider.
Marist responded in the second inning; after graduate student infielder Justin Kapuscinski and graduate student catcher Danny Moshier each earned base hits, freshman outfielder Lewis Rodriguez got aboard via a walk to load the bases. Sophomore infielder Brady Steinert subsequently sent a three-RBI double to center field, and sophomore infielder Ethan Conrad launched his tenth triple of the season, scoring Steinert and putting Marist ahead 4-3.
Things went south for Marist in the third inning as Hartley continued to get shelled, relinquishing six hits and six runs. Hartmann ripped an RBI single to right for the first run, knotting the game 4-4. Sophomore outfielder Anthony Paskall singled up the middle to load the bases, and then junior catcher Matt Shepherd emptied the basepaths with a three-RBI double to center field, creating a 7-4 lead for Rider.
After a two-RBI double by Skettini, Rider had a five-run advantage. Marist head coach Lance Ratchford had seen enough, pulling Hartley for graduate student Jack Keenan, who closed out the inning.
Marist continued to show a little bit of fight, making it 9-6 through three innings after sophomore outfielder Austin Bohlman homered to center field. However, Rider completely ran away with the game in the fourth inning, bombarding Keenan and putting up their second-straight six-run inning to put the game out of reach 15-6.
The Red Foxes were able to pull within five runs over the course of the next four innings, with Bohlman tacking on his second home run in the eighth to make it 17-12 Broncs.
The game was postponed to Saturday due to darkness, with the ninth inning played at noon. The final score still stood, 17-12 in favor Rider.
The win was Rider’s tenth conference win with no loss yet on their MAAC record. Marist has another chance to best the Broncs during game two this afternoon.
Edited by Sam Murphy and Luke Sassa
Photo Credit: Raegan Van Zandt
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