History was made almost instantly for Marist softball during the series finale against Saint Peter’s. Wednesday afternoon’s 14-4 Marist (31-14, 13-4 MAAC) victory over the Peacocks (15-29, 5-13 MAAC) began with a monumental round-tripper.
Senior infielder Miah McDonald’s 16th home run of the season broke a Red Fox record that had stood firm since 2001.
“I pulled her aside and said ‘I’m just so proud of you…’ We’re very lucky to have her, but moreover, she’s just a very special person. I couldn’t be happier for her. Hopefully, she continues that going into the weekend,” said head coach Joe Ausanio.
McDonald now holds sole possession for the most single-season home runs in program history after the slugger sent the first pitch she saw over the center field fence, getting her record-breaking home run immediately out of the way.
The milestone was just the start for Marist’s offense. The Red Foxes tied their season-high in runs and set a new season-high for hits against the Peacocks.
Junior utility Maddie Pleasants added a solo shot to center of her own, giving Marist a 2-0 lead in the top half of the first. Her third home run in three games marked her sixth of the season.
“It’s great timing. [Pleasants] was kind of going through a bit of a slump but she’s had some really good swings on the ball the last two days. Hopefully, she carries that into this weekend as well,” said Ausanio.
Sophomore catcher Isabella Manory caught her seventh runner stealing of the season while graduate student pitcher Kiley Myers maneuvered past four hits allowed in two innings, surrendering just one run.
The Red Foxes threatened for more runs in the third inning, loading the bases with graduate student outfielder Sophia Recrosio coming to the plate. She grounded out to second base, ending the inning and stranding three.
The Peacocks took their first lead in the bottom of the fourth. Junior infielder Dakota Pitts doubled to deep left, scoring junior utility Jess Forte to tie the game at 2-2. Senior infielder Kaitlyn Peters brought Forte’s pinch runner home with a single up the middle for a 3-2 lead, but it did not last long.
“I was really pleased with their at-bats after the third innings. After two home runs in the first inning, we started swinging at some bad pitches in the second and third innings. But, I told them ‘we have plenty of time here, let’s make sure we’re taking good swings.’ They really turned it on and we eventually did a lot of things that make Marist, Marist,” said Ausanio.
Freshman infielder Samantha Rogers came to the plate after Pleasants, Grupp and Recrosio all reached safely, loading the bases in the top of the fifth. Rogers went up the middle for a two-RBI single, giving Marist a 4-3 lead right back.
A Manory walk loaded the bases again, resulting in graduate student pitcher Kristen Brennan being pulled for junior pitcher Kasidy Slusser. Junior infielder Ronni Howard and sophomore outfielder Peyton Pusey greeted Slusser into the game with RBI singles, extending Marist’s lead to 6-3.
McDonald added a sacrifice fly and redshirt sophomore infielder Haley Ahr broke the game open with a two-RBI double for a 9-3 Red Foxes lead and a seven-run inning, only to add five more in the sixth.
Senior utility Alyssa Grupp led off the sixth inning with a triple into the right-field corner and the hits continued to roll after that. Recrosio, Manory, Howard, McDonald and Ahr all singled; Pusey doubled, putting the Red Foxes up 14-4. Pusey’s double was her fourth hit of the game and her third three-plus hit game in six games.
Myers closed out the game in the sixth for the second run-rule victory of the series; tying her career-high 13th win of the season. The graduate student finished with six strikeouts while, offensively, all nine starters for Marist recorded a hit, and eight recorded multiple hits. McDonald and Ahr led the team with three RBIs each and Pusey, Rogers and Howard recorded two RBIs.
The 19 hits are the most this season and this is the third time Marist has scored their season-high of 14 runs. In the three-game series against Saint Peter’s, the Red Foxes scored 34 total runs.
They bring the hot offense back to Poughkeepsie for a big three-game series this weekend against Canisius University, who is currently two games back of first-place Marist. The first pitch at Softball Park is scheduled for Saturday, April 27 at noon.
“There’s no surprise we’re going to be facing Megan Giese in the first game Saturday, possibly part of game two, and game three. She’s their workhorse. Hopefully, we can have some good approaches. She’s a very good pitcher, the Pitcher of the Year the last two years but we have to just be very disciplined at the plate,” said Ausanio.
Edited by Cara Lacey
Graphic from Cara Lacey; Photo from Jaylen Rizzo
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