Marist baseball (21-28, 17-13 MAAC) traveled to Fairfield University (24-20, 18-9 MAAC) this weekend, where the Red Foxes dropped two out of three games to lose the series.
With the end of the regular season in sight, the Red Foxes find themselves in fifth place and have an opportunity to clinch a playoff spot. They entered the series on a three-game winning streak after a series win over Sacred Heart and a midweek victory against UAlbany.
Fairfield had lost four of its last five games played, coming off a series loss against Quinnipiac. Despite the skid, the Stags entered the series in third place in the MAAC.
With rain forecasted for Saturday, the ballclubs squared off in a doubleheader on Friday. Fairfield took game one in a 4-0 victory, while Marist stole game two with a 4-3 win.
The Red Fox offense struggled in game one, stringing together only three hits. Junior right-handed pitcher Ben Alekson chucked six shutout innings, allowing two hits and issuing three walks. The relief pitching held it down across the final three innings, giving up only a single base hit.
While Marist had an opportunity with runners on base in the first inning, Fairfield got on the board first. An error by sophomore second baseman Luke Monico allowed senior outfielder Matt Bucciero to reach base, before a single off the bat of senior catcher JP Kuczik brought Bucciero around to score.
The bottom of the second inning saw a homerun driven by sophomore infielder Nolan Colby, which extended the Stags’ lead to two. Both teams saw opportunities with runners on base in the middle innings, but the opportunity slipped away as both teams failed to score.
An error by redshirt-sophomore catcher Scott Esposito opened an inning of struggles for Marist in the seventh. A hit batter moved runners into scoring position, before a double steal resulted in another run for Fairfield. Bucceiro followed up by ripping a double to left-center field, driving in Fairfield’s fourth and final run.
Marist’s offense came alive in game two. Fairfield opened the scoring once again courtesy of Kuczik’s solo home run to left field. Marist retaliated in the second when graduate student outfielder Nathan Lincoln singled up the middle to tie the game at 1-1.
The scoring halted until Marist scored three in the seventh inning. Marist played some small ball to open the inning as back-to-back bunts scored Monico to give Marist the lead. A two-RBI double from Lincoln then extend the lead to two. The Stags cut the lead, scoring a pair of runs between the eighth and ninth, but they came up short, losing game two 4-3.
Marist lost game three 12-7 in a back-and-forth affair. Marist found itself with an early first-inning lead—a lead-off single from senior infielder AJ Brotz opened the game before a walk and a single loaded the bases for redshirt sophomore Chris Diaz. Set up with runners on and no one out, Diaz hit an explosive grand slam to right field on the third pitch he saw.
The Stags quickly fought back. Senior designated-hitter Liam McIlroy walked in the second, which gave way to sophomore outfielder Jake Haarde’s double down the left field line. McIlroy scored on a fielder’s choice, chipping away at the Red Foxes’ lead.
Back-to-back singles opened the bottom of the third inning for Fairfield. With two on and two out, sophomore infielder Connor Scanlan drove a single through the left side, clearing the bases, before Haarde ripped his second double of the game and brought the tying run home to score.
A pair of singles in the fourth scored two runs for Marist, but Fairfield got the runs back immediately, when senior outfielder TJ Schmalzle connected on a homer to left field in the bottom of the inning. The Stags stole the lead in the sixth after Marist’s defensive miscues allowed a run to score.
The Red Foxes worked four straight walks in the top of the eighth to tie the game 7-7, but Fairfield quickly regained the lead on a sac-fly by Colby. Three consecutive two-out RBI singles extended the Stags’ lead to four en route to an eventual five-run win for Fairfield.
Marist will play its final series of the regular season next weekend at home against Bryant University. Game one is scheduled for Friday at 3 p.m.
Edited by Max Rosen
Graphic by Xavier Angel
Photo from Marist Athletics
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