Back-to-back. Three in the last four years. A Marist softball dynasty has been born in Poughkeepsie.
Behind a masterful performance from graduate student pitcher Ava Metzger, the Marist Red Foxes defeated the Iona Gaels 4-0 en route to the program’s sixth MAAC championship. Senior outfielder Peyton Pusey was named tournament MVP; Pusey became the first position player since 2015 to win the award.
Metzger, graduate student infielder Haley Ahr, sophomore catcher/utility Sienna Kunze and junior outfielder Samantha Rogers received All-Tournament team honors.
Despite losing eight seniors to graduation — six of whom were starters — Marist head coach Joe Ausanio built yet another winner. From scheduling a tough non-conference slate to working through the growing pains of an inexperienced roster, Ausanio is now a five-time MAAC champion.
“This year, I had to do a lot more coaching than in the past,” Ausanio said. “I want to thank Alyssa [Grupp] and Julianne [Bolton] for their help getting this team prepared.”
Metzger’s softball journey has come full circle. The graduate student spent four seasons at Manhattan and did not make an appearance in the MAAC Championships. After fighting through two major injuries as a Jasper: a torn ACL and a torn UCL. In two appearances, Metzger tossed 12.2 scoreless innings, including Sunday’s complete game shutout of a potent Iona offense.
“With the amount of adversity I have faced, it really just showed my resilience and my strength to come back,” said Metzger. “I’m very determined and hard-working, so this meant all of my hard work paid off.”
Pusey, senior catcher Isabella Manory and Ahr are now three-time MAAC champions. This group has become the winningest class in Marist softball history; this senior class has accumulated 150 wins in four seasons and will be making its third trip to regionals.
“[Haley and Bella] mean everything to me,” said Pusey. “We’ve experienced the highest of highs and lowest of lows together, so to do it with them means the world to me.”
Metzger and junior pitcher Allison Hoppe exchanged zeroes over the first three innings. In each starter’s last appearance against one another, it was all about offense; the Gaels tagged Metzger for seven earned runs on April 3 and the Red Foxes scored eight runs on 10 hits.
Marist came out aggressive in the early going; Hoppe only needed 23 pitches to complete three innings. The Red Foxes sent multiple fly balls to the warning track to no avail, while Metzger induced 10 fly outs through her first five innings.
Rogers has a knack for the MAAC championship round. 364 days ago, Rogers launched two home runs and accrued three RBI’s in the 2025 MAAC championship clincher against Siena. On Sunday, Rogers’ two-out RBI double in the fourth inning broke the scoreless tie. Rogers was one of two Red Foxes to record multiple hits; Kunze went a perfect 3-3 and came around to score on the Rogers double.
“She’s just a clutch hitter,” Ausanio said of Rogers. “At the end of the day, when the chips were on the line, she came through with a couple of big hits today.”
In the bottom of the fifth inning, those fly balls traveled a bit further off the bats of two of the program’s all-time greats. After freshman first baseman/outfielder Annabelle Geiser slapped a leadoff single, senior outfielder Peyton Pusey provided some much-needed insurance. The senior powered her second home run in as many games, a two-run blast to give Marist a 3-0 lead.
Pusey’s home run placed her in a tie with her fellow teammate, graduate student infielder Haley Ahr, atop the program’s all-time hits leaderboard. Ahr took the record back two batters later, as she blasted a solo home run of her own to extend the Marist lead to four.
After her teammates provided her with insurance, Metzger continued to cruise. Metzger retired the final six hitters in order, putting the finishing touches on a remarkable outing.
“I was on cloud nine,” Metzger said of recording the final out. “It still hasn’t really hit me that we won, but it’s just awesome to end it on such a great note on Gartland.”
Marist will now make its second consecutive appearance in regionals. After facing multiple Power-4 opponents and taking down then-No. 22 South Carolina, Pusey has the utmost confidence in her team.
“We’re ready to take on anybody,” Pusey said. “I don’t care who it is. I don’t care how they’re ranked. We can beat anybody. I fully believe that.”
Marist will await its NCAA regional fate in Sunday’s selection show. The show begins at 7 p.m. on ESPN.
Edited by Cara Lacey
Photo and graphic by Jaylen Rizzo
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