Baseball Slips To Marist, 6-3, After Late Inning Rally
BOX SCORE
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – The University at Albany baseball team rallied for three runs in the top of the seventh to tie the ballgame Tuesday afternoon at McCann Field, but the hosting Marist Red Foxes answered with two runs in the seventh and one in the eighth for a 6-3 defeat. Due to rain, the scheduled doubleheader turned into a single nine-inning clash. The Great Danes are now 7-10 on the season, while Marist improved to 8-14.
The Red Foxes struck first in the bottom of the fourth, leading off with a trio of singles. John Brucker's knock through the right side, plated two, and after stealing second and third, he scored on Alec Patrone's RBI groundout for a 3-0 advantage.
In the top of the seventh, UAlbany got the bats going, as Kenny Hayden led off with a single to short, Karson Canaday drew a walk, and Will Miller ripped a two-run scoring triple to the right-centerfield gap. With two outs, Matt Hinchy followed suit with a triple to center, tying the score, 3-3.
However, that would be the Great Danes' final run, despite loading the bases in the eighth and getting two runners on in the ninth.
In the bottom of the seventh, Marist nabbed the lead for good, scoring two runs off reliever Michael Adams. A throwing error on leadoff hitter Steve Laurino's grounder put the go-ahead runner on. Moving to third on Matt Pagano's double to left-center, Laurino scored on a wild pitch, giving Marist a 4-3 advantage. With no outs, Zach Racusin's RBI single down the left field line stretched the margin to two, 5-3.
The Red Foxes tacked on an insurance run in the eighth, loading the bases immediately with a single, hit by pitch, and a walk. With one out, Racusin's groundout brought in one, but the Danes escaped the frame with minimal damage, recording the final out.
Marist's Chris Napolitano (3-0) earned the win, coming out of the pen with two outs in the seventh. He held UAlbany to no runs and one hit, while striking out two in 1.1 innings of work. Closer Ryan Thomas picked up the save, tossing a scoreless ninth.
For UAlbany, Adams (0-1) took the loss, allowing two runs and two hits in one inning of relief.
At the plate, the Danes totaled nine hits, led by Hayden (3-for-5) and Miller's (2-for-3) multi-hit efforts.
Up next, UAlbany stays out of conference, hosting NJIT for a four-game series on Saturday and Sunday. Both days will begin at noon.
