JERSEY CITY, N.J. – Marist softball opened their conference play with 9-0 and 15-1 run-rule victories against Saint Peter’s on Saturday afternoon. The dominant wins pushed the Red Foxes to 23-5, surpassing the 22-5 record in 2006 for the best start in program history.
The Red Foxes (23-5, 2-0 MAAC) stayed rolling against the Peacocks (7-12, 0-2 MAAC) to extend their win streak to 12 games and a skulk of Red Foxes continued individual streaks in the impressive offensive showing.
“The feeling’s amazing and I think this is a really great start for us. We’ve been doing well all preseason and it shows how much hard work we put in this year,” said senior pitcher and designated player Maddie Pleasants.
Pleasants tallied eight RBIs, homered three times and picked up the win after pitching in game two, graduate student shortstop Miah McDonald extended her hitting streak to 17 games, junior center fielder Peyton Pusey increased her multi-hit game streak to seven and redshirt junior first baseman Haley Ahr’s hitting streak is now 12 games.
“I think, obviously, everything starts with Peyton [Pusey], she just does such a good job. She finds a way to get on and then you have kind of pick your poison. Miah [McDonald], Haley [Ahr] and Maddie [Pleasants] coming up behind her,” said Marist head coach Joe Ausanio.
Graduate student pitcher Kiley Myers and freshman pitcher Ava White entered the circle for game one. The sixth-year earned her 11th win of the season while the first-year Peacock fell to 4-4 as the long ball quickly became White’s worst enemy.
Ahr’s two-out bloop single added to her top-five nationally ranked batting average and brought senior designated player Maddie Pleasants to the plate in the top of the first inning. Pleasants homered for the seventh time in her last seven games.
The senior went over the opposite field wall for her 11th homer of the season, giving Marist an early 2-0 lead. Senior right fielder Kaitlyn Husic followed Pleasants up the next inning with a no-doubt solo shot, extending the lead to 3-0. Husic’s homer increased her average to .500 in her previous 10 at-bats.
Myers entered Saturday’s matchup with the nation’s best ERA at 0.60. She escaped potential trouble, striking out two straight batters in the bottom of the second after two errors put the Peacocks in scoring position.
“I’ve been feeling really good, I feel like all of my pitches have been working pretty well and I’ve had an emphasis of just hitting the corners,” said Myers. “Jam hitters and don’t let them square anything up and our defense has been amazing too. My strikeouts aren’t as high as they’ve been, but the defense has been amazing.”
White also faced potential trouble after Pleasants walked and freshman second basemen Sienna Kunze laced a single to open the third inning.
With runners on first and second, junior catcher Isabella Manory hit a laser to sophomore second baseman Olivia Christopher. Pleasants’ pinch runner, redshirt freshman Marissa Scarano, left on contact to make for an easy inning-ending double play.
The first two Red Foxes, McDonald and Ahr, reached again to open the fifth inning and the floodgates opened. A ball dropped in shallow right field, bringing sophomore left fielder Samantha Rogers to the plate with the bases loaded.
“Everybody is contributing. Sam Rogers with the big grand slam and Kaitlyn Husic in the nine spot hit really well today. Maddie Gore with a nice base hit. It’s nice to mix and match people out there. Everybody gives a chance to win,” said Ausanio.
Rogers lifted a ball to right center field to make it 7-0 Marist with her second collegiate grand slam. White was subsequently pulled for freshman pitcher Brielle Coppola. Pusey lined a double into the gap, scoring two more runs for Marist’s 12th hit and a 9-0 lead.
“[The run support] takes so much pressure off and we can just pitch,” said Myers. “It’s my last season so I’m trying to end it on a high note.”
The 9-0 win tied 2006 for the best start in program history at 22-5. Myers finished her eighth complete game and sixth shutout of the season with five strikeouts, allowing three hits and a walk.
A five-run first inning and an eight-run fifth inning powered Marist’s explosive 15-1 game-two win.
“I love being the visitors and putting a run or two on the board to start the game,” said Ausanio. “Now, you’re fighting an uphill battle, especially if Kylie [Myers], Maddie [Pleasants] and Anna [Sidlowski] continue to throw the way they’re throwing. It’s going to be tough if we get an early lead.”
Pusey singled to begin game two and McDonald followed, doubling off the wall to set up Ahr with runners at second and third. Ahr brought Pusey home, grounding out to short and Pleasants singled McDonald home for another first-inning 2-0 lead.
Husic walked with two outs and the bases loaded, adding a third run to the Red Foxes’ early lead bringing senior first baseman Maddie Gore to the plate. The Jersey native doubled her season RBI total with a two-run single up the middle; Marist led 5-0 after the first inning.
While starting game two in the circle, Pleasants added to the lead with an opposite-field solo blast, her fourth straight game with a home run.
“Just see ball, hit ball; not trying to overcomplicate things,” said Pleasants.
The Peacocks’ first run of the doubleheader came across in the third inning after freshman designated player Steph Bendzlowicz grounded to Ahr and scored junior third baseman Tai Turner, cutting the lead to 6-1 through two innings.
McDonald got the run back in the fourth, sending her 15th homer over the center field fence; 15 homers being good for second in Division 1. Senior third base Ronni Howard hit a grounder right through Christopher’s legs which rolled to the fence and scored Rogers. Husic’s single up the middle brought Howard home, extending Marist’s lead to 9-1.
Pusey’s single for her seventh straight multi-hit game scored Husic to get Marist to double-digit runs for the fifth time in six games. Pleasants cleared the bases with a grand slam for her second home run of the game.
Redshirt freshman pitcher Stella Blanchard made her collegiate debut in the circle in the fifth inning and recorded her first two strikeouts to end the game.
Marist returns to Jersey City on Sunday, March 23 for the final game of the series. The first pitch is scheduled for noon.
Edited by Ryan Eichem
Photo from Marist Athletics
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