A two-run single by senior Gianna Fazolarri in the top of the sixth gave Canisius the lead over Marist, and the Golden Griffins' defense used double-plays in the home half of the sixth and seventh innings to secure the 6-4 victory in MAAC softball action Sunday afternoon in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
With the win the Griffs improved to 19-19 overall and 14-9 in conference play on the season, while the Red Foxes slipped to 34-15 overall and 16-5 in league action.
GAME RECAP
The Griffs trailed Marist 4-3 heading into the sixth inning, but the Blue and Gold scored three times to take the 6-4 lead. In that frame, Canisius collected three infield singles, highlighted by a bunt-base hit from senior Christie McGee-Ross, which allowed pinch-runner Ella Johel to score and knot the game at 4-4. Moments later, Fazolarri singled to left, pushing Madysen Burkey and McGee-Ross across the plate, make the score 6-4 in favor of Canisius.
In the home-half of the sixth, Marist led off the inning with a base hit, but Canisius starting pitcher Megan Giese got Ronni Howard to line into a double-play the end any threat by the home team. In the seventh inning, Marist had runners at first and second with one out when Alyssa Grupp singled through the right side of the infield to load the bases. However, the Griffs were able to secure the win moments later, as Sophia Recrosio grounded back to Giese for a 1-2-3 double-play to end the game.
Marist took an early 1-0 lead with a run in the bottom of the first, but McGee-Ross' eighth homer of the season, a two-run shot in the third, put the Blue and Gold up 2-1. With the game tied 2-2 in the fifth, Giese helped her own cause with an RBI-single to the gap in left-center that allowed McGee-Ross to score, giving Canisius the 3-2 advantage. Marist responded with two runs in the home-half of the fifth and regained the lead at 4-3 after Grupp drove in a pair with a base hit to left.
Giese earned the win in the circle and improved her record to 16-9 on the year after she went the distance and allowed four runs, three earned, on three hits. She fanned four and walked two on the day as well. Marist's Anna Sidlowski took the loss in the circle after she allowed four runs on six hits in 2.2 innings of work.
Canisius racked up nine hits in the win, led by McGee-Ross, who went 3-for-3 with a homer, three RBI, three runs scored and a walk. Giese and Burkey also had two hits on the day, while Burkey scored twice as well.
GAME NOTES
• With the win, Canisius improved to 39-28 all-time against Marist. The win snapped the Griffs' five-game losing streak to the Red Foxes, dating back to last season.
• Canisius closed out MAAC regular-season play by not being swept in any of the eight league series the team played in.
• McGee-Ross now leads the team with 10-multi-hit games this season.
• Fazzolari recorded her team-leading 10th multi-RBI game of the season after she drove in a pair on Sunday. She has 142 career RBI to her credit, leaving her three runs batted in shy of passing former Griff Meg Thompson for the program's career RBI record.
• Burkey's two hits served as her first multi-hit game since March 24 vs. Mount St. Mary's.
• Giese's four strikeouts gives her 164 for the season, which leads the MAAC.
UP NEXT
Canisius will close out the 2024 regular season on May 1 with a non-conference doubleheader against cross-town rival Buffalo. Game one of the twinbill is set to start at 3 p.m.
