POMONA, NY (May 24, 2024) – After heavy rain and thunderstorms delayed first pitch for a couple of hours, action eventually resumed for the 2024 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Baseball Championship on Thursday, May 23 at Clover Stadium in Pomona, NY. No. 4 Mount St. Mary’s University, No. 2 Niagara University, and No. 6 Marist College each earned wins to keep their postseason runs alive, while No. 1 Fairfield is also in the field’s final four.
No. 4 Mount St. Mary’s 12 | No. 1 Fairfield 10
Clover Stadium | POMONA, NY
Box Score
The afternoon action began with an upset right from the onset, when No. 4 Mount St. Mary’s (22-32-1) earned a 12-10 comeback victory over top-seeded Fairfield (32-23), just short of 24 hours since the Mountaineers won their first ever MAAC postseason game. The Mountaineers rallied from deficits of 5-0 and 7-3 to earn the comeback win. Fairfield stormed out to a 5-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, scoring the five runs behind only two hits, in an inning that witnessed three batters hit by a pitch and an error. After a trio of runs in the third by the Mount cut the deficit to 5-3, the Stags Tyler Kipp hit a two-run shot over the left field wall, extending the lead to 7-3 in the bottom half of the inning. From that point on, the Mount outscored the Stags 9-3 in the contest. The rally began with a three-run bomb over the right field wall by Scott Seeker, cutting it to a one-run game (7-6) in the fourth. In the fifth, Mount St. Mary’s tied the meeting at 7-7, before Fairfield took its last lead of the day in the sixth at 8-7. Mount St. Mary’s completed its comeback, combining to plate five runs in the seventh and eighth innings, overtaking the lead at 12-8. Before dropping the game, Fairfield added a pair of runs in the bottom of the ninth, but that would be it as they fell in the contest.
Mount St. Mary’s Notes and Notables
- Seeker and Evan Meier each produced a multi-hit afternoon.
- Seeker was 2-for-3 with a team-high three RBIs, two runs, a homer and a drawn walk.
- Meier went 2-for-4 at the plate, with a team-most three runs and a double.
- The trio of Jayson Kramer, David Stirpe, and Tyler Long all had two RBIs apiece, while Long also scored two runs and Stirpe scored once.
- For the second straight postseason game, Luke Pryor (1-2) took the mound in relief, tossing 2.2 scoreless innings, allowing no hits and no baserunners, with three strike outs in the winning effort.
- The Mountaineers remain in the winner’s bracket and will play in the semifinals tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. against Niagara for a spot in the championship series on Saturday.
Fairfield Notes and Notables
- Four Stags combined for Fairfield’s seven hits, led by Kipp who had a monster game, going 3-for-5 with a dinger, five RBIs, and one run.
- Matt Bergevin was 2-for-3, scoring two runs and batting in a run.
- Luke Nomura and Nick Sturino both had an RBI each, and Ethan Hibbard and Zach Selinger had multiple runs, each crossing home plate twice.
- Jack Erbeck (2-3) received the losing decision in 0.1 action of work where he gave up four runs (two earned) with one strike out, no hits allowed and two walks.
- The Stags will play in an elimination game tomorrow at 3:00 p.m.
No. 2 Niagara 9 | No. 3 Rider 7
Clover Stadium | POMONA, NY
Box Score
The second game of the first day was a seesaw battle that resulted in No. 2 Niagara (36-15) defeating No. 3 Rider (28-22), 9-7. A three-run dinger by Rider’s Matt Shepherd got things going in the opening frame. Niagara would gain its first advantage in the bottom of the second by way of five hits and four runs, going up 4-3. Each side tacked on a run in the third, keeping it a one-run game. The top of the fourth would see the Broncs reclaim the lead (7-5) with three runs coming by way of RBI singles from Jack Winsett and Brian Skettini. Over the next three innings, Niagara would plate two in the fourth, and one in both the fifth and sixth to take a two-run lead. The Purple Eagles buckled down defensively, shutting out the Broncs the final five innings to secure the 9-7 win.
Niagara Notes and Notables
- Niagara had 14 hits, all nine players reached base, and seven different Purple Eagles scored a run in the win.
- Both Brady Desjardins (3-for-5) and Matt Ward (3-for-4) tallied three hits, while Eric Rataczak had two (2-for-5).
- Rees Kozar drove in three runs, had a home run, and scored a run.
- Ward and Kelly Corl batted in two runs each, while Ward also had a homer.
- Ryan Minckler (6-1) picked up the decision after 3.2 innings in reserve, not surrendering a hit or run, while striking out four batters.
- Earning the save, with his MAAC-leading 11th of the year, was Zach Cameron.
- The 11 saves also set a Niagara single season program record.
- The Purple Eagles will meet Mount St. Mary’s in the winners bracket tomorrow morning, with first pitch set for 11:00 a.m.
Rider Notes and Notables
- Skettini had a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 at the plate.
- Behind his dinger, Shepard had three RBIs and one run
- Rider starter Brian Young (7-6) was the losing pitcher, who tossed 4.2 innings, squandering 13 hits and eight earned runs, striking out five.
No. 6 Marist 15 | No. 3 Rider 11
Clover Stadium | POMONA, NY
Box Score
For the second consecutive night, Marist (19-34) survived elimination, this time knocking out the defending champion, Rider 15-11. The barnburner seen both teams record seven combined multi-run innings. The Red Foxes scored eight runs over the first three innings, but the Broncs quickly rallied with a five-inning bottom third, headlined by a two-run blast from Luke Lesch over the left center wall. The scoring slowed down over the next two innings, with both teams being shutout. The Red Foxes extended their lead to 11-7 courtesy of RBIs by Justin Kapuscinski and Bayram Hot. The four-run lead didn’t discourage the Broncs and a four-run seventh showed it. Skettini’s solo bomb down the right field line sparked the rally that tied the contest at 11-11. Marist didn’t waste any time regaining the lead, doing so in the eighth, scoring the game’s last four tallies.
Marist Notes and Notables
- Marist scored 15 runs on 15 hits.
- The 15 runs were the second-most in a game by the Red Foxes this season.
- Six batters had multi-hit performances.
- Going a perfect 4-for-4, with two homers, three RBIs, and four runs was Kapuscinski.
- Lewis Rodriguez went 3-for-4, batting in three runs and scoring two runs.
- Jack Keenan (2-0) closed out the game for Marist with 2.1 shutout innings, striking out three.
- Marist will play in its third straight elimination game tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. against top-seeded Fairfield.
Rider Notes and Notables
- Rider scored its 11 runs behind 12 hits.
- Every play to appear in the game reached base.
- Lesch, Joe Tiroly, Shepherd, and Kyle Neri all had two hits.
- Lesch went yard once, drove in three runs, and scored two runs.
- Neri had three RBIs and two runs as well.
- Chris Montone (2-1) pitched 1.2 innings, with two strike outs, getting charged with the defeat.
For all information regarding the 2024 MAAC Baseball Championship, please visit
maacsports.com/baseball.
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 43rd year of competition during the 2023-24 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius University, Fairfield University, Iona University, Manhattan College, Marist College, Mount St. Mary’s University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College. Merrimack College and Sacred Heart University will join the MAAC as full members in the 2024-25 academic year, expanding the conference to 13 institutions.
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