Marist and Siena re-ignited the I-87 rivalry on Friday, this time at Gartland Field. The Saints made the trip to Poughkeepsie for the first time since 2022, where the Red Foxes took down the Saints 5-4 in the series-opener. The win extended Marist’s season-best winning streak to 12.
Trailing 4-1 in the bottom of third inning, sophomore catcher/utility Sienna Kunze connected with a game-tying, three-run home run off MAAC Player of the Year candidate junior pitcher/outfielder Gracie Goewey. Goewey entered the contest as Siena’s leader in batting average (.386), OPS (1.113), innings pitched (153.1), strikeouts (156) and ERA (2.28). In six innings pitched, Goewey surrendered 10 hits, a season-high for her in MAAC contests. She also had an RBI single in the fourth inning.
Senior outfielder Peyton Pusey—who became Marist’s all-time leader in games played on Wednesday—continued her surge for MAAC Player of the Year. She laced three singles off Goewey, including the eventual game-winning knock in the fifth inning. With another multi-hit output, Pusey’s batting average continues to creep up toward .400 (.396), while her OPS climbs to 1.074.
“I’ve said all along, she’s one of the greatest players that’s ever played here,” said Marist head coach Joe Ausanio. “We are going to miss her immensely.”
Junior pitcher/outfielder Anna Sidlowski earned the start for the Red Foxes; graduate student pitcher Ava Metzger is tentatively lined up to start Saturday’s Senior Day affair. After a clean first inning, Sidlowski’s defense faltered in the second. Sophomore infielder Emma DiMeglio ripped a one-out single to right field; in an attempt to get the ball in, junior outfielder Samantha Rogers’ throw missed the cut-off, allowing DiMeglio to advance to second.
With two outs and DiMeglio on third, junior infielder Carlie Venables chopped one off the glove of Sidlowski; the ball trickled past freshman utility Livia Wiltsie to plate the game’s first run. Sidlowski has now surrendered 26 unearned runs this season in 83.1 innings pitched; Metzger and redshirt sophomore pitcher Stella Blanchard have only allowed 10 unearned runs in a combined 180 innings pitched.
Goewey retired Marist in order in the third, and she assisted herself at the plate. The two-way star laced an RBI single to Pusey in center; Pusey’s throw landed up the line, which permitted Goewey to advance to second. On the next pitch, sophomore catcher Cali DeLawder roped a two-RBI down the right field line to extend the Saint lead to four. DeLawder entered the contest with a .950 OPS, good for third on the team.
Siena appeared to seize momentum, but the Red Foxes plated four runs with two outs to knot the contest at four. In Marist’s doubleheader sweep of Manhattan on Wednesday, 16 of its 22 runs scored came with two outs. Pusey initiated the rally, as her second knock of the game supplemented the Red Foxes with energy.
“It’s funny because [on] Tuesday, we worked on situational hitting, and we did it all with two outs,” said Ausanio. “We worked on it and they did a really good job, and it has snowballed after that.”
Newly-appointed two-hitter, senior catcher Isabella Manory, passed the baton to graduate student infielder Haley Ahr with a single of her own. Ahr garnered her 196th career RBI to get Marist on the board, but sophomore catcher/utility Sienna Kunze continued her power surge against conference opponents. Kunze connected on a game-tying, three-run home run to left field, her 10th round-tripper in 25 games against MAAC foes.
Sidlowski induced her lone one-two-three inning in the fourth, one in which she was rewarded for. Once again, the Red Foxes manufactured a run with two outs; freshman first baseman/outfielder Annabelle Geiser kept the bottom of the fourth going with a full count single to left field, setting the stage for Pusey. The star center fielder continued to be a thorn in the side of Goewey, breaking the tie with an RBI single to center field.
An inning later, Sidlowski kept the pesky Saints scoreless. The junior stranded the tying and go-ahead runs on base, ending her outing on a high note. Following the three-run third inning, Sidlowski gutted through five innings, allowing four runs (three earned) and struck out one.
Metzger entered for Sidlowski in the sixth, only needing six pitches to retire the side. The Red Foxes left insurance runs on the bases in the sixth, but Metzger recorded another one-two-three inning to lock down her first save of the season.
Blanchard will be in the circle in game two as Marist looks to win its 15th straight MAAC series dating back to last season.
Edited by Max Rosen
Photo from Jaylen Rizzo
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