Marist swept Fairfield in a doubleheader on Sunday to open MAAC play at Albertus Magnus College. Redshirt sophomore pitcher Stella Blanchard and graduate student pitcher Ava Metzger stymied the Stags in the sweep; the duo only surrendered three hits combined in a pair of complete-game shutouts.
In what was a balanced offensive attack — seven of nine Red Foxes notched at least one hit in both games — graduate student infielder Haley Ahr led the way. Ahr recorded multiple hits in both contests, including her first home run of the season in game one; she drove in three of the team’s six runs on the day.
The matchup featured two of the MAAC’s best; Marist and Fairfield were selected to finish first and second in the Preseason Coaches’ Poll. The Red Foxes had the most selections to the Preseason All-MAAC team: Ahr, senior outfielder Peyton Pusey and sophomore infielder/catcher Sienna Kunze, while the Stags lone selection was senior pitcher Alyssa Weinberg.
Metzger, the reigning MAAC Pitcher of the Week, followed up her start against South Carolina with a complete-game shutout on 139 pitches. The ex-Manhattan Jasper retired the first ten hitters she faced, six via the strikeout. She finished the game with a career-high 12 punchouts.
Weinberg, a first-team All-MAAC selection a season ago, threw a complete game of her own but received zero run support. The Fairfield offense only mustered two hits off Metzger and created just four opportunities with runners in scoring position — they did not convert on any of them.
In the third inning, freshman utility McKenna Manley worked a 15-pitch walk to start the scoring threat. Two batters later, an RBI single from Ahr gave Marist a 1-0 lead.
Metzger ran into her first bit of trouble in the bottom of the fourth. An error and Fairfield’s first hit of the game set up the Stags with runners on first and second with one out, but Metzger’s seventh strikeout and a popout ended the threat.
Ahr’s solo home run in the fifth provided Marist with an insurance run as Metzger worked into and out of trouble in the fifth inning. Senior outfielder Quinn McGonigle doubled to give Fairfield just their second baserunner to reach second base, but Metzger bore down once more.
The graduate student struck out sophomore first baseman/designated player Emma Marchese and induced an inning-ending popout one batter later to escape. Fairfield had chances in the fourth and fifth innings, but Metzger’s ability to hunker down and Ahr’s two RBIs lifted Marist to a 2-0 victory.
Game two followed an eerily similar formula: score early and get a brilliant performance from the starting pitcher. Blanchard allowed just one hit in another complete-game shutout, needing only 88 pitches.
After getting shut out in game one, Fairfield adjusted their offensive philosophy. To start the first, third and fourth innings, the Stags had the lead off hitter reach base. Each time this occurred, Fairfield laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance that runner into scoring position with less than two outs.
Safe to say, this did not work in their favor. Blanchard stalled each of these attempts, retiring the final two batters in each of those innings.
The Marist offense came through with a few timely knocks to put the game out of reach. Leading 1-0 in the top of the fourth, senior catcher Isabella Manory launched her team-leading third home run of the season to give Marist a 3-0 lead. The Red Foxes tacked on another in the seventh and Blanchard slammed the door to secure the sweep. Manley contributed multiple hits in a game for the second time this season.
Despite losing 58 home runs to graduation, the Red Foxes leaned on the long ball to supplement their offensive attack. Ahr’s solo shot and Manory’s two-run blast accounted for half of the runs scored. While this year’s team may not be able to lean heavily on home runs like they did a season ago, they can depend on a stout 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation.
MAAC play continues on Saturday as the Niagara Purple Eagles visit Poughkeepsie. First pitch is set for noon at Softball Park.
Edited by Max Rosen
Graphic by Xavier Angel
Photo by Marist Athletics
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