Marist defeated Rider in the final contest of a three-game weekend slate, sneaking out a close 6-5 victory against a top-flight MAAC conference opponent.
Marist (12-22, 5-7 MAAC) had lost the series’ previous two games but managed to hand the Broncs (15-16, 11-1 MAAC) their first conference loss of the season.
“I said, ‘Hey, we’re good enough to win this league. They rolled in here undefeated, and we put it to them,” said Marist head coach Lance Ratchford.
Graduate student pitcher Nate Chudy made just his third start of the year for the Red Foxes, with only five innings pitched in 2024. Despite that, Chudy put together six scoreless innings – 6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K – surrendering just two hits in one of the best starts Marist has seen by a pitcher this season.
“It’s a really good feeling, especially since this was a big game today. This series was very big for us in the conference to make sure we can make it into the playoffs, or at least give us a shot,” said Chudy.
After two scoreless innings from both sides to start the game, Marist got on the board in the third. Sophomore outfielder/first baseman Ethan Conrad singled to right field, which was then followed by graduate student outfielder Johnny Decker slapping a ball to center field, advancing Conrad to third. With runners on the corners and only one out, graduate student infielder Justin Kapuscinski launched a sacrifice fly to left field, breaking the stalemate.
Marist had a chance to keep the momentum going in the fourth inning with the bases loaded and only one out. However, Conrad grounded into a double play, forcing the Red Foxes to exit the inning with no runs after a chance to break the game wide open.
Chudy was in complete control over the game through six innings, having yet to surrender a run, only allowing one hit, and striking out four batters.
After freshman infielder Joe Tiroly smacked a leadoff double in the seventh inning, Chudy’s productive day came to a close. Chudy was replaced by sophomore pitcher Will Taylor, who kept the scoreless streak alive through seven.
In the eighth inning, Rider junior catcher/outfielder Matt Shepherd severely injured himself chasing a pop fly into the outfield fence, prompting an ambulance to take him off the diamond in a stretcher.
Subsequently, the game was held for two and a half hours due to lighting and rain delays. The bottom of the eighth finally resumed at 5:00 p.m.
The Broncs made a pitching change after the delays, swapping out sophomore Christian Aiello for sophomore Colby McNeely. McNeely could not find the strike zone, walking three batters without throwing a single strike. With the bases loaded, McNeely threw a wild pitch that advanced sophomore catcher Kyle Pollack to home, extending the Marist lead to two. After walking another batter, the bases were loaded once again. McNeely drilled infielder Brady Steinert with a pitch, sending sophomore infielder Byram Hot over the plate to make it 3-0.
Rider’s coach had enough, trotting out sophomore shortstop/pitcher Will Gallagher. Gallagher could not close the floodgates, as Conrad rocketed a three-run triple that cleared the bases to make it 6-0 for the Red Foxes.
Despite the hefty lead going into the ninth, the Broncs quickly cut into the deficit. Taylor walked graduate student infielder Luke Lesch, then Tiroly singled to center field. With two runners on, redshirt freshman outfielder Kyle Neri ripped a single to left center, scoring Lesch and advancing Tiroly to third.
The tide kept rolling for Rider as sophomore outfielder Anthony Paskell thrashed a double to left field, putting Tiroly over the plate and placing Neri on third. Ratchford called it for Taylor there, bringing out graduate student pitcher Riley Orr with the score at 6-2.
Orr could not put an end to the Broncs, as freshman infielder Matt Leahy singled down the left field line for an RBI. With runners on the corners, Orr walked the next batter, seeing the bases loaded with the game well within reach for Rider at 6-3. With all the momentum on their side, graduate student infielder Jack Winsett slapped a two-RBI single to center field, bringing the Broncs to within one.
The heroics ended there, as the next batter popped the ball up to the third baseman, closing the curtain on the last-second dramatics by the Broncs.
The win was Chudy’s first of the season, putting the Red Foxes within striking distance of .500 and fifth in the MAAC. Marist’s next opponent, Hofstra, comes to Poughkeepsie on Wednesday, continuing a nine-game home stand for Marist.
Edited by Sam Murphy
Photo from Jaylen Rizzo
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