Marist and Albany both entered the final game of a home-and-home series on three-game losing streaks. The Red Foxes smothered the Great Danes 14-2 in eight innings on the road to split the season series, one-upping Albany after falling to them 10-2 at home three weeks ago.
Marist’s (17-22, 9-10 MAAC) offense powered through putting up nine of their 14 runs in the first four frames. Every Red Fox in the lineup recorded at least one hit.
The pitching was also stellar. Sophomore left-handed pitcher Andrew Speranza and junior right-handed pitcher Jake Burt took a no-hit bid into the seventh before redshirt sophomore right-handed pitcher Bobby LeFerve surrendered Albany’s (13-27, 3-12 American East) first hit in the seventh.
The Red Foxes jumped out of the gate hot after freshman infielder Noel Rivera one-hopped the wall past the outstretched glove of redshirt senior outfielder Jared Toby. The quick start proved to be a sign of things to come, as Marist led off four out of the eight innings by reaching base safely.
Two batters later, junior infielder/outfielder AJ Brotz did his job, notching an RBI groundout to second after Rivera advanced on a wild pitch. The Red Foxes scored again in the second off an RBI double from sophomore outfielder Lewis Rodriguez after back-to-back one-out walks.
Speranza began his dominant day on the mound with back-to-back strikeouts swinging en route to a three-up, three-down first inning. Despite Brotz’s eighth error of the season and a wild pickoff attempt in the home second, the Poughkeepsie native worked around the trouble with ease.
Marist tacked on two more in the third, forcing opposing freshman left-handed pitcher Mark Gajowski out of the game midway through the frame. Eight full counts sent his pitch count through the roof, at 74 pitches in just 2.2 innings pitched. Over his frames, he surrendered four earned runs on five hits and three walks.
The Red Foxes piled on in the fourth, tacking on five more to extend the lead to 9-0. Aggressive baserunning propelled the offensive splash with one of the inning’s runs scoring thanks to a stolen base by redshirt freshman outfielder Chris Diaz. On the play, senior infielder Ryan Ferremi focused on tagging out Diaz, allowing Brotz to score easily.
The frame’s other runs sprung from a fielder’s choice from Brotz and three RBI base hits: Senior infielder/outfielder Nathan Lincoln, freshman infielder Luke Monico and Rodriguez. Senior right-handed pitcher Kyle McCaffery could not escape the fourth, allowing all five of his runners to score in just 0.2 innings of work.
Burt picked up right where Speranza left off with a clean fourth inning; Brotz later made up for his second-inning error with a beautiful sliding stop in the sixth to continue the no-hit bid.
After retiring junior outfielder Luke Filippi, Burt surrendered a hit by pitch and a walk, prompting a Marist call to the bullpen. LeFerve entered the game and allowed the first hit from sophomore outfielder Anthony Scarabino.
The Great Danes scored their first run off a wild pitch two pitches later, which freshman infielder Logan Morris followed with an RBI groundout.
Marist responded to the broken up no-hitter with a five-spot in the eighth. Lincoln and freshman catcher Drew McGowan notched RBI singles, Lincoln scored on a passed ball and Rodriguez collected his third RBI and second extra base hit on an RBI double before scoring on a stolen base and throwing error.
In the eighth, senior right-handed pitcher Kai Cottle got freshman catcher Kyle Stephens to ground out into a fielder’s choice to close out the run-rule victory.
The Red Foxes will look to improve to .500 in conference play when they return home to McCann Baseball Field for a three-game set against the first-place Fairfield Stags. First pitch of the opening game is at 3 p.m. on Friday.
Edited by Ben Leeds
Photo by Cassidy Connors
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