After an undefeated and dominant month of March, Marist softball (27-5, 4-0 MAAC) played their first “home” game against Canisius (12-14, 1-3 MAAC) to begin April on Tuesday, taking both games on walk-off home runs in 8-0 and 11-1 victories at Army West Point.
Graduate student Kiley Myers used Europe’s “The Final Countdown” as her walk-out song to the circle, symbolizing her first home game of her final season. Myers made a major statement in the home opener, striking out four over five innings on 48 pitches. Just one Golden Griffin reached base on an error, marking the second no-hitter of the season for the graduate student.
“My goal is not to let anybody touch first base every game,” said Myers. “I’m just jamming hitters and hitting my spots.”
Freshman Sienna Kunze put an exclamation point on Myers’ no-hitter, walking off with a three-run blast to cap a seven-run fifth inning. Senior Maddie Gore pinch-hit in game two, sealing the 11-1 victory in grand fashion with a walk-off grand slam.
Designated player and pitcher Maddie Pleasants recorded four hits and four RBI in game two and Myers’ economical pitch count during the five-inning no-no allowed her to start and earn the win in both games.
The Red Foxes last faced Canisius in the 2024 MAAC tournament where they suffered the first of their two losses, giving them extra fuel this season.
“It’s always fun to play Canisius because we know they are going to play their best and it is going to be competitive,” said graduate student shortstop Miah McDonald.
Sophomore pitcher Olivia Manchester entered the circle with an 8-0 record and had a tall task competing against Myers’ 14-0 record and nation-leading 0.52 ERA.
Currently, the Marist softball field is dug up, causing the doubleheader and the following home series against Fairfield to be relocated.
“It’s been a struggle trying to figure out what we’re doing each day and where we’re going. West Point does such a good job here and the field is beautiful, the setting is beautiful, I just thought this is gonna be the best place for us to represent Marist,” said Marist head coach Joe Ausanio.
Even with relocation, the first game against the Griffins did not start until 12:20 p.m. after initially being scheduled for 11 a.m. Despite the delay, McDonald and the Red Foxes did not miss a beat.
Junior catcher Isabella Manory set the tone defensively, throwing out sophomore right fielder Ella Johel attempting to steal third in the first inning. Johel is top-five in AVG, OPS and stolen bases for the MAAC.
McDonald smacked a no-doubt homer on a 3-2 pitch for her 16th home run of the season, giving Marist a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. She followed that up with a great play up the middle to end the second inning, keeping the eventual no-hitter alive.
“Honestly, just working for my team. I know Kylie’s throwing really well, and our defense has to have her back. So, whether that be in the box or out in the field, just contributing and figuring to make something work for the team,” said McDonald
Manchester kept Marist off-balance and off the board the next three innings, effectively using the edges of the strike zone. Johel aided the southpaw, robbing McDonald of another extra-base hit in the third inning with a diving grab on a ball tailing towards the right field line. That marked the last inning the Red Foxes were kept at bay.
Manory set the tone again, offensively this time, leading off the bottom of the fifth with a single. Senior outfielder Kaitlyn Husic smoked a ball into the right center gap for a RBI triple, making it 2-0 Marist. The lead grew quickly from there starting with an error by Manchester on a comebacker. Pleasants drove home an RBI single and Kunze added her three-run home run.
With such a low pitch count in game one, Myers toed the slab to start game two and Canisius took a first-inning lead. Johel singled on a dribbler in front of the plate, stole second and scored on senior designated player Rosie Gomez’s RBI single.
Junior center fielder Peyton Pusey led off the bottom of the first and tied the game right away. Pusey drove the first pitch of senior pitcher Toria Kover’s outing over the left-center fence for her fourth home run of the season.
“[Pusey’s home run] helped take the energy back because going down the first inning isn’t the greatest thing ever,” said Myers. “Her answer picked us all up in the dugout.”
Pleasants laced a single to score McDonald, who extended her hitting streak to 22 games on a single. The Red Foxes led 2-1 through the first inning but stranded two runners in scoring position with no outs. Marist put two more in scoring position with no outs in the second, but senior third baseman Emily Ilano snared a scorching line drive by McDonald and doubled up Pusey at second.
Sophomore pitcher Olivia Harrington replaced Kover following the double play and let up a single to Pleasants for her second RBI of the game. Kunze gave Ilano another chance to catch a liner but could not come up with a backhanded grab, allowing the ball to trickle into the outfield and scoring two more Marist runs for a 5-1 lead after two innings.
Canisius worked better at-bats in their second game against Myers but struggled getting runs across. Pleasants added her third and fourth RBI with a two-run shot, extending Marist’s lead to 7-1 in the fourth.
“Maddie has been on a tear with home runs, so kudos to her, but she’s been throwing well and definitely helped herself,” said Ausanio.
She entered in relief of Myers following her 15th home run of the season. Myers finished the day with 10 strikeouts over nine innings, allowing one run.
Pleasants tallied three strikeouts in the circle during two innings of relief work. Gore ended the game, belting a grand slam for the third home run of her collegiate career. The Red Foxes notched their 17th consecutive victory with the 11-1 win.
“Maddie is a really great pitcher, and I knew she would come in and slam the door. She throws really hard and I knew she’d be able to blow her rise ball past them, which she did,” said Myers.
Marist is scheduled to face Fairfield in a three-game series starting on Saturday, April 5, at West Point. The first pitch is set for noon, however, the weather forecast does not look favorable and may require rescheduling.
Edited by Michael Burns
Photo and Graphic by Kira Crutcher
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