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Canisius University Athletics

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Ella Johel runs towards second base after hitting a ball to the wall in a home game against Fairfield on March 29, 2026.
Lindy Feider
8
Winner Marist MARIST 27-19, 19-3 MAAC
2
Canisius CANISIUS 13-24, 8-13 MAAC
Winner
Marist MARIST
27-19, 19-3 MAAC
8
Final
2
Canisius CANISIUS
13-24, 8-13 MAAC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Marist MARIST 3 0 1 0 1 0 3 8 13 0
Canisius CANISIUS 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 6 1

W: Ava Metzger (8-3) L: Preuhs, Mia (3-3)

8
Winner Marist MARIST 28-19, 20-3 MAAC
5
Canisius CANISIUS 13-25, 8-14 MAAC
Winner
Marist MARIST
28-19, 20-3 MAAC
8
Final
5
Canisius CANISIUS
13-25, 8-14 MAAC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Marist MARIST 2 3 0 1 0 0 2 8 11 1
Canisius CANISIUS 1 0 1 0 0 0 3 5 11 4

W: Stella Blanchard (11-5) L: Obenrader, Mikaila (2-9) S: Anna Sidlowski (1)

Game Recap: Softball |

Softball Drops a Pair to Marist

The visiting Marist Red Foxes scored a pair of victories over Canisius in MAAC softball action Friday evening at the Demske Sports Complex, taking game one 8-2 before posting an 8-5 victory in the second game of the conference doubleheader.
 
With the wins, Marist improved to 28-19 overall and 20-3 in league play. The two wins, combined with results from around the MAAC on Friday, secured the 2026 MAAC regular-season championship for the Red Foxes, the program's third-straight regular-season crown. The Golden Griffins fell to 13-25 overall and 8-14 in league play with their third-straight loss.
 
GAME ONE RECAP
Marist jumped out to an early lead and never looked back in the first game of the day, as the Red Foxes scored the 8-2 win in game one. With one out in the top of the first, Marist's Sienna Kunze hit a three-run homer to give the visiting team the early 3-0 advantage.
 
Canisius was able to score a run in the home-half of the first inning to make the score 3-1 thanks to an RBI-single off the bat of sophomore Grace Walker, which drove home fellow sophomore Bella Martin. Marist would push its lead to 5-1 heading into the sixth thanks to single runs in the top of the third and fifth innings, but the Blue and Gold whittled that lead down to 5-2 in the sixth after junior Ella Johel hit an inside-the-park homer, her team-leading fifth home run of the season, down the leftfield line. That would be as close as the Griffs would get in the day's first game, however, as Marist tacked on three insurance runs in the top of the seventh after Samantha Rogers went yard with a three-run bomb to right that made the score 8-2 in favor of the Red Foxes.
 
Marist starter Ava Metzger improved her record in the circle to 8-3 on the season after she went the distance and allowed just two runs on six hits while striking out four. Canisius freshman pitcher Mia Preuhs took the loss for the Griffs after she gave up eight runs on 13 hits to go with six strikeouts and four walks.
 
Bella Martin went 2-for-2 with a run scored in the loss for Canisius before she left the game with a lower-body injury. Johel also had two hits, as she went 2-for-3 with a homer, an RBI and a run scored. Walker and senior Sofia Escoto accounted for the Griffs' other two hits in the day's first game.
 
GAME TWO RECAP
In the nightcap, Canisius trailed 8-2 heading into the bottom of the seventh, but the Griffs mounted a comeback to get within three at 8-5 before Marist reliever Anna Sidlowski closed the door for her first save of the 2026 campaign.
 
After senior Bailey Alatorre and freshman Avyree Sherman started off the seventh with back-to-back base hits, Johel drove in a run to make the score 8-3 with an RBI-double off the base of the fence in center. Sherman scored to make it a four-run game at 8-4 thanks to an RBI-ground out by freshman Maddy Hans, and Escoto followed Hans with an RBI-single to right, which allowed Johel to score from third. After freshman Talia Yermian earned a two-out walk to put runners at first and second, Marist lifted starter Stella Blanchard in favor of Sidlowski, who promptly gave up an infield-single to Walker to load the bases. Sidlowski ended the threat, however, as she got freshman Michaela Sycalik to ground out to short to end the contest.
 
Blanchard earned the win for Marist, moving her record to 11-5 on the season. Canisius starter Mikalia Obenrader took the loss for the Blue and Gold after she allowed eight runs, four earned, on 10 hits to go with three strikeouts and a pair of walks. Canisius' defense ended the second game by committing four errors.
 
As a team, the Griffs banged out 11 hits in the losing cause, led by Johel and Escoto, who each recorded three hits in the game. Johel went 3-for-4 with a double, an RBI and three runs scored, while Escoto also went 3-for-4 with a double and two runs batted in. Sherman also had two hits in the second game and scored a run.
 
GAME NOTES
• Canisius leads the all-time series with Marist 39-32.
• Friday marked the first time Marist played at the Demske Sports Complex during the regular season since 2022.
• Johel leads the team with 14 multi-hit games this season. Her three-hit effort in the second game was her third three-hit performance this season.
• Johel leads Canisius, and is tied for third in the MAAC, with her three triples this season.
• Escoto also has three three-hit games to her credit this year.
• Escoto extended her streak of reaching base safely to 10 by getting on base in both games.
• Preuhs struck out five batters looking in the first game on Friday. She has fanned 20 batters looking this season, which ranks fifth in the MAAC.
• Junior Liv Herrington came on in relief in game two and pitched a scoreless inning. She has not allowed a run in five of her last seven appearances in the circle, dating back to March 25, at Buffalo.
 
UP NEXT
Canisius will close out its three-game MAAC series with Marist on Saturday. Game time at the Demske Sports Complex is set for noon, and the game will be broadcast live on the Golden Griffin Broadcast Network.
 
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