Marist Defeats Monmouth, Hawks Eliminated from MAAC Baseball Championship
MAAC Sports
FISHKILL, N.Y. – A 10-3 decision knocked the Monmouth Hawks from contention in the 2015 MAAC Baseball Tournament. The Red Foxes advance in the championship and will face second-seeded Canisius at 7:10pm on Friday, May 22 in the second elimination game of the championship.
After scoring just three runs in yesterday’s matchup with Quinnipiac, the Red Foxes came out swinging the bats right away in Thursday’s second game. Outfielder Zach Racusin walked to lead off the game which brought Graham McIntire to the plate. McIntire launched a ball to deep left center that landed over the wall for a round tripper, giving Marist a quick 2-0 lead. Monmouth starter T.J. Hunt settled in after the home run, retiring the next seven batters he faced. Marist starter Rich Vrana gave up a leadoff single to Monmouth’s Steve Wilgus to lead off the bottom of the first but worked three consecutive outs to get out of the inning. Vrana got into trouble in the bottom of the second after getting a fly ball out to start the inning. Three straight singles by Hawks Kyle Perry, Dan Shea and Ryan Bailey loaded the bases for Monmouth before Vrana induced a fielder’s choice and a strikeout to end the inning unscathed.
Marist put up a crooked number on the scoreboard again in the third inning as Racusin reached on an infield single, McIntire drew a walk and Stephen Laurino doubled down the left field line scoring Racusin and McIntire trailed behind crossing the plate on the throw home for a 4-0 advantage. Matt Pagano followed the hit with a walk putting runners on the corners. Outfielder Tyler Kirkpatrick doubled down the left field line scoring Laurino for the third run of the inning.
Monmouth threatened in the fifth as infielder Robbie Alessandrine singled to center and Grant Lamberton singled through the left side. With two outs the Hawks Shaine Hughes drilled a ground-rule double down the left field line scoring both Alessandrine and Lamberton to trail 5-2.
In the sixth the Red Foxes would again leave a mark on the scoreboard as Joey Aiola walked and John Brucker singled knocking Hunt out of the game. Catcher Mark Brennan walked before infielder Matt Belitz knocked in Aiola on a groundout. Racusin singled home Brucker and Brennan scored on an error giving Marist an 8-2 lead. In the bottom of the inning Vrana would give up a solo home run to outfielder Dan Shea over the right field fence to bring the Hawks deficit to 8-3.
Vrana stayed in the game and continued to hold down the Hawks offense and keep Monmouth off the board, allowing just two hits the rest of the game. Marist added an insurance run in the eighth on an Aiola solo home run over the right field wall, and would add another in the ninth. Laurino reached on an error in center field advancing to third base on the play. Pagano would ground out scoring Laurino for the tenth run of the day for Marist.
Vrana ended his afternoon with a complete game throwing nine innings giving up three runs, scattering eleven hits and striking out five while not allowing a walk. McIntire finished his day going one for three driving in two runs and scoring two with two walks on the day and a home run for the Red Foxes.
For the Hawks, Hunt threw five and one-third innings giving up seven runs on six hits and walking five while striking out four. Shea finished his day two for four scoring and driving in a run on his big blast.
Tickets for the MAAC Baseball Championship are on sale now at the Dutchess Stadium box office. Admission will be $20 per day for adults and $5 per day for kids 12 and under. All seating is general admission.
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