STAFF REPORTS
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POUGHKEEPSIE — The Marist Red Foxes bested the Canisius baseball team in a pair of conference contests on Saturday, winning the first game 10-7 and the second game 11-4, taking a 2-0 lead in the weekend series. With the losses the Blue and Gold dropped to 16-12 overall and 2-3 in the MAAC play, while Marist improved to 14-11 and 4-4 in conference action.
Game #1: Marist, 10 – Canisius, 7
In the opening game of the series a seven-run rally in the bottom of the sixth, sunk the Blue and Gold, as Marist used the big frame to win, 10-7.
The Red Foxes rapped out five hits and used two Canisius errors to break the game open, with its seven runs. Prior to the big rally, the two teams were knotted up at 3-3.
Andrew Kneussle got the start for Canisius, and worked five innings and allowed four runs and 11 hits as he dropped to 2-2 this season. Relieving Kneussle in the fateful inning was Zachary Sloan who worked one inning, allowed four hits and six runs, with none earned due to key errors by the Blue and Gold defense.
Kyle Warner worked the final two innings, and yielded no hits and no runs and fanned three.
Offensively the Blue and Gold was led by Tim Kensinger who rapped out three hits and a pair of RBI, in five at-bats. Included in the trio of hits was an RBI double and an RBI single.
Jake Lumley continued to be a cog in the offense as he belted a pair of hits, while Christ Conley and Liam Wilson also notched two hits apiece.
Game #2: Marist, 11 – Canisius, 4
In the second game of the doubleheader, the Red Foxes scored runs in the final three innings, to break a 4-4 tie in the bottom of the fourth, as the squad completed the Saturday sweep of Canisius.
In the bottom of the fourth, Marist used an RBI triple from Tyler Kapuscinski and a wild pitch, to break the tie, plating a pair of runs to make it 6-4 by the end of the inning.
The Red Foxes continued it scoring trend, notching a trio of runs in the bottom of the fifth and a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth to push the score to 11-4.
The usually steady-handed J.P. Stevenson labored against Marist, working 4.1 innings and allowing seven hits and seven runs (six earned) to fall to 4-3 this season. Michael Ginther faced a batter and allowed one run, and a walk, while Will Frank came on and worked 1.1 innings and allowed three hits and three runs (two earned).
Offensively the Griffs managed just six hits in the contest, however Kensinger and Wilson were both again at the forefront of the offensive firepower. The duo combined for four hits, with Wilson notching an RBI and a pair of runs in the loss.
The Griffs will look to avoid the series sweep as the two teams go at it one more time Sunday afternoon, with first pitch set for 12 p.m.