On a groggy, rainy March day in Poughkeepsie, the Saint Peter’s Peacocks salvaged the final game of the three-game series, picking up their first MAAC win of the season, 7-5.
With the assistance of leaf blowers and squeegees to make the playing surface playable, play resumed after a one-hour and 55-minute rain delay. The Peacocks scored five runs in the final two innings to hand the Red Foxes their first loss in Poughkeepsie since the 2024 MAAC tournament; the loss snapped a 20-game winning streak in MAAC play and a 14-game winning streak at Gartland Field dating back to last season.
Saint Peter’s capitalized on six errors by the Marist defense. Five of the errors occurred with junior pitcher Anna Sidlowski in the circle; Sidlowski turned in her best start of the season in spite of the spotty defense, allowing zero earned runs in five innings of work. In nine appearances this season, Sidlowski has allowed 12 unearned runs.
“It is just a product of us not being able to get on the field,” said head coach Joe Ausanio. “I argue with the other coaches in the conference who want to start conference play with three weeks left of winter. A lot of [the teams] are in the same boat.”
After delivering a quality start on Saturday, Saint Peter’s junior pitcher Morgan Lipansky stepped back into the circle. Lipansky went the distance despite the rain delay, braving the elements and keeping a stout Red Fox offense at bay.
“Seeing as she did so well yesterday and the first few innings [today], I can’t say I was shocked [she came back out],” said junior outfielder Samantha Rogers.
Unlike in game one, the Peacocks provided their ace with run support. Although the first hitters in the Saint Peter’s order notched just one hit in 14 at-bats, the bottom half of the Peacock order provided the thump. Sophomore outfielder Summer Solitaria went 3-3 and drove in two runs, while freshmen infielders Paige Seemon and Angela Tremarco each accumulated multiple hits.
Leading 1-0 in the second, Saint Peter’s used two defensive miscues to get on the board for the first time in the series. Set up with runners on second and third and one out, Solitaria grounded a two-RBI double down the right field line, handing Marist their first deficit of MAAC play.
Sidlowski worked around two more errors in the fourth; misplays by senior outfielder Peyton Pusey and freshman first baseman/outfielder Lily Roumelis opened up an unexpected opportunity for the Peacocks, but the junior wiggled out of trouble to hold the one-run deficit.
Prior to the rain delay, the Red Foxes knotted the scoring at two without the ball leaving the infield. Sophomore catcher/utility Sienna Kunze and senior catcher Isabella Manory reached on infield singles; Kunze advanced to third on a throwing error by Tremarco, allowing an RBI groundout from Roumelis to plate the tying run.
At the conclusion of the delay, freshman pitcher Kaylie DeChicchis replaced Sidlowski. Despite the layover, DeChicchis came in and attacked the strike zone, setting down two Peacocks on strikes in the fifth.
Unlike Marist, Saint Peter’s head coach Alyssa Ruiz elected to keep Lipansky in the game following the long delay. The junior proved to be a bit erratic after the long break, walking Pusey on five pitches and allowing her to take second following a wild pitch. Freshman outfielder/first baseman Annabelle Geiser successfully laid down a sacrifice bunt, setting the stage for graduate student infielder Haley Ahr to lace an RBI single to break the tie. Ahr was the lone Red Fox to record multiple hits in the game.
Following a 1-2-3 fifth, DeChicchis ran into trouble in the sixth. The freshman surrendered five consecutive hits to open the inning, including a two-RBI single from sophomore infielder Steph Bendzlowicz, giving the Peacocks a 4-3 lead. A couple of batters later, a sacrifice fly courtesy of junior infielder Olivia Christopher provided the Peacocks with a two-run cushion.
“[Kaylie] faced the heart of their order [in the fifth] and really made them look silly,” said Ausanio. “Give them credit, the bottom of their lineup did the damage.”
After Lipansky kept Marist off the board in the sixth, the Peacocks continued to get to DeChicchis. The freshman departed with runners on second and third with nobody out, prompting Ausanio to re-enter Sidlowski to attempt to limit the damage.
Sidlowski allowed both inherited runs to score, leaving Marist with a four-run deficit entering the final inning. Rogers smacked a two-out, two-run home run to cut the lead in half, but Kunze popped out to end the contest.
Following a doubleheader against Mount St. Mary’s on Tuesday, the Red Foxes will head down to Chapel Hill, N.C., to participate in the Mizuno Showdown. Marist will continue to face tough non-conference competition, taking on Arizona State and the University of North Carolina.
“I purposely wanted to make sure we had games to play on our bye weekend,” said Ausanio. “Chapel Hill came forward and said, ‘We’d love to have you come down.’ “If we win the MAAC Championship, those are the type of teams we are going to play in the first round [of regionals].”’
The doubleheader on Tuesday is set to begin at noon in Emmitsburg, M.D.
Edited by Ben Leeds
Photo by Cassidy Connors
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