The Marist University baseball team entered the opening round of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament with hopes of extending its season, but a strong start by Fairfield University quickly shifted the momentum.
Fairfield's Early Surge
Fairfield struck first, plating two runs in the opening frame and adding a third in the second to build a 3‑0 lead that set the tone for the contest.
Marist answered in the fourth inning when Brady Steinert’s RBI groundout brought the Foxes within two, followed by Noel Rivera’s RBI double in the fifth that cut the deficit to one.
A Solo Blast and a Late Push
Luke Monico’s solo home run in the seventh inning narrowed the gap to a single run, but Fairfield responded with another tally in the same frame to pull ahead 6‑3.
Andrew Speranza, who entered in relief, worked 3.2 innings without surrendering additional runs, striking out four while limiting Fairfield to four hits.
Nathan Lincoln contributed two hits and a run scored, while Monico finished with a hit, an RBI and the homer, but the effort fell short as Fairfield closed out the ninth to seal a 6‑3 victory.
What’s Next for Marist
The Foxes will now await the winner of the Canisius College‑Merrimack College matchup, a game scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday night, to determine their next opponent.