ANNONDALE-ON-HUDSON, NY - Following a relocation of this weekend's series to Bard College due to the recent weather in the area, Marist College claimed the opener of this weekend's three-game series against the Iona College baseball team 5-1 this afternoon.

Tied at 1-1 heading into the bottom fo the sixth, the Red Foxes (10-7, 1-0 MAAC) scored once in the frame to claim the lead for good. Frankie Gregoire lifted a fly ball to left field with one out, scoring Tyler Kirkpatick to give Marist the 2-1 advantage. Kirkpatrick led off the inning with a hit by pitch before advancing on a sacrifice bunt and a single.

The Red Foxes extended the lead to 5-1 with three runs in the bottom of the seventh that included Randy Taveras scoring the first run, an unearned tally, on a fielding error alongside Matt Pagano. Anthony Lazara knocked in the final run for Marist with a RBI single.

Marist scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the fourth on a solo homerun by Gregoire. The Gaels (5-9, 0-1 MAAC) tied the score in the top of the sixth as Lou Matarazzo scored with two outs on a Sean Scales single up the middle. Matarazzo doubled to right center in the previous at-bat to set up the scoring opportunity.

In the effort, Bill Maier tossed seven innings, striking out three while giving up three earned runs among five scored on six hits in addition to not walking a batter. Andrew Pucillo pitched a scoreless eighth, striking out two.

Offensively, Scales and Tyler Bruno each tallied two hits to combine for four of the team's six hits on the day. Matarazzo and Alex Beckett were each responsible for the other two. 

The two programs return to the diamond tomorrow at Honey Field for a noon doubleheader to conclude the series.