Heritage Financial Park hosted the second annual Marist Club Baseball game, focusing on the Boys and Girls Club of Poughkeepsie. Despite the Red Foxes’ 12-2 loss to the Sacred Heart Pioneers, fans and players enjoyed the new, annual tradition in Wappinger Falls.
“I think the fact that we’re able to come out here and play is such a privilege. I was fortunate to be able to pitch in both games: the one last year and the one this year. It’s really awesome. Our President Mike Schiavone and Vice President Pat Gay worked so hard for this,” said junior pitcher Noah Kasper.
Playing at a minor league baseball stadium (home of the High-A New York Yankees affiliate, Hudson Valley Renegades), the night offered everything one would expect from a professional baseball game.
“You certainly get that adrenaline kick, and it feels like a fresh start to a new season,” said Schiavone, a junior outfielder.
In-game events occurred in between innings, including a race with Marist’s mascot, Frankie the Red Fox, a T-shirt toss, a trivia game, a 50/50 raffle and “Are You Smarter Than a Red Fox?” The game show-like segment asked sophomore infielder John Kelly to name as many ice cream flavors as possible in thirty seconds. The young contestant, Christopher, won a prize after naming far more than Kelly’s six.
The Marist Dance Team also performed after the second and fifth innings while supporting the Red Foxes on top of their dugout.
“Most club teams are playing at town fields. When they’re lucky, they’re playing on their varsity field. Playing at a minor league stadium is an awesome experience, especially with the community involvement that we do with the Boys and Girls Club,” said Gay, who is a senior pitcher/catcher.
During the game, the scoreboard displayed the names, positions and statistics of the player at bat in addition to their picture. For Marist, they shot these pictures on a separate media day, the day prior to the annual game.
“It’s a lot of work, but it’s all very rewarding at the same time. The Boys and Girls Club was very energetic all the way through [from] pitch one until the last pitch when we were down 10 runs… It’s a very rewarding process,” said Schiavone.
Sacred Heart’s pitching stole the show, powered by the right arm of senior Zachary Dezinski. He fought through back-to-back leadoff walks in the second inning by striking out the side to escape the frame. He ended his day after five innings of two-hit, one unearned run baseball and eight strikeouts.
Marist tacked on the first run as freshman infielder Will Matias reached on a throwing error by infielder Nicholas Sendrowski. He ended the night with three hits.
“I was shortening it up, and [getting] the barrel to the ball. I was able to find some holes,” said Matias.
The Red Foxes would not hold that lead for long. Sacred Heart erupted for five runs in the next half inning. Sophomore infielder Dermot McSpendon and junior infielder Luke Blasi tallied a leadoff base knock and double on back-to-back pitches, wiping the Red Foxes’ lead. Blasi finished three for three on the day, including an extra-base knock.
Senior designated hitter Jayden Amador knocked in an insurance run in just his second at-bat of the season with an RBI single to left. He later swiped Sacred Heart’s first base of the evening, advancing on a passed ball, and scoring after junior infielder Michael Marano Jr. drove in two on a base hit of his own. Junior outfielder Declan Norton scored the other run after reaching base on Marist’s third error of the night. The Red Foxes finished with four errors and multiple defensive miscues on the night.
Freshman catcher Xavier Angel gained the early momentum by throwing out Blasi after Kasper fanned his first of four batters. Despite cruising through the first three innings, Kasper concluded his day after 5+ innings, tacked for eight runs.
Angel continued his defensive prowess in the third by throwing out Marano Jr. at third. The Pioneers entered play with one successful stolen base attempt through their first two contests, but Angel quickly ended that narrative.
“It was really just an inner instinct, just out of the corner of my eye. All my teammates helped me out. The first one, I had a bad throw, but second baseman John Kelly was really good with his hands,” said Angel.
The Pioneers added three more runs to their total in the top of the sixth off sophomore Fabian Resika, all charged to Kasper. Matias put the Red Foxes back on the board with a two-RBI double in the bottom half, driving home senior infielder Mason Haskell; however, Marist stranded the bases loaded and came up empty to end the frame.
Sacred Heart notched two more runs in the seventh to close out the 12-2 victory; however, the entirety of Marist club baseball excitedly awaits next year’s contest in Wappinger Falls.
Edited by Nate Shoemaker
Photo provided by Michael Schiavone
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