With Spring Break having come and gone, let’s see how the Pacers have fared.
Baseball
Marywood started their Florida trip with a doubleheader against the College of Wooster. In game one, it was apparent that the Pacers left their bats in baggage claim, as they only tallied three hits in a 6-0 loss. In the latter game of the doubleheader, Marywood fell behind by two runs. Despite the offense being able to produce some runs, the two run deficit would remain as the Pacers were swept in the doubleheader, 5-3.
Day two of the Spring break trip saw Marywood have a doubleheader against Western Connecticut State. The first two innings were silent, before the Pacers had a hit parade in the third, notching four hits and four runs in the frame. Sophomore starter Max Ryan dealt going five innings, allowing just two runs, as the Pacers picked up its first victory in Florida, 5-4. In game two, Marywood didn’t waste time scoring, as left fielder Vinny D’Auria drove home with a center fielder Christian Michak with a sacrifice fly. The next inning, Michak ripped a single that brought home two more Pacers. After each team tallied a run in their respective frames, D’Auria struck again, singling to add to the lead, before freshman first baseman Tristan Gatchalian roped a three-RBI double. D’Auria would strike one more time, with another RBI single, while freshman Owen Reilly would pick up his first victory, throwing five innings, allowing only a pair of runs, as Marywood won 9-5.
After having Wednesday off, the Pacers were back to work, set to have two games against Thiel College. Thiel struck first, taking a 3-0 lead into the fourth, before the Pacers exploded, pushing six runs across. Thiel was able to cut the lead to one heading into the sixth inning, but lights out work from Danny Becker and AJ Jordan clinched the victory 6-5. Game two started with Michak driving home the first run of the game in the second inning. Thiel answered back in the third, before taking the lead in the top of the fifth. Michak came home to score to cut the lead in half before designated hitter Max Slusser launched his first home run of the season giving the Pacers the lead. The Pacers added two more in the fifth, before Joseph Bruno came on for the final six outs, striking out four as the Pacers clinched back-to-back doubleheader sweeps, 6-3.
On the final day of games in Florida, the Pacers played Franciscan University. The Pacers struck early, with Adam Ginsberg, AJ Kuzior and AJ Giannetti all driving in a run each. D’Auria added another in the fourth, before Giannetti launched a three-run long ball to extend the lead to seven. That was more than enough run support for starter Nick Notari, who went four innings of one run baseball, as Marywood started the day off with a 10-5 victory. No time was wasted in game two, as Slusser, Gatchalian, Joey Ayers and Bruno all drove in runs in the opening frame. Slusser, Gatchalian and Bruno all contributed again in the fifth, which was more than enough help for starter Michael Aronica, who threw four scoreless frames, punching out five, as Marywood finished their Spring Break trip on a six game win streak, 9-3.
The Pacers returned back to chilly Scranton for their first home game of the season, hosting Penn State Brandywine. After falling behind 2-0 in the first, Ginsberg launched a two-run shot to tie the game. Freshman Nick Ruiz broke the tie with an RBI single in the fourth, before Slusser and Kohut each drove in a run. Brandywine struck twice in the sixth and once more in the seventh to knot the game at five. In the bottom half of the frame, a Nittany Lions’ error allowed the tie to be broken, before Michak and Ginsberg were both walked, forcing in runs. That was enough run support for Aidan Dolan to lockdown the eighth, followed by Jordan remaining perfect in save situations as the Pacers extended the win streak to seven, 8-5.
Softball
Marywood’s first game of Spring Break was against Earlham College. Earlham struck in the second inning. It took Marywood six innings to get on the board, when Tori Para ripped a game-tying single. Para struck again in the eighth, ripping a RBI double, to give Marywood the lead. Marissa Gregory started what she finished, going the distance, striking out 15 batters as the Pacers won their first game of the season, 2-1. In the second game of the day, Marywood faced Lasell University. Priscilla Grill came home in the first to open the scoring, before Kat Davis, Grill and Para brought home four more runs. Sam Ferrera dazzled for four innings, before Gregory finished out the game as the Pacers picked up the 5-4 win.
The second day of games kicked off with Marywood facing Mount Saint Mary College. Marywood opened the scoring, when Emma McNally ripped an RBI single. Marley Sarafinko brought home two in the second. Mount Saint Mary whittled away at the lead, cutting it to one, before Para and Gregory slammed the door as they started its season with a three-game win streak, 3-2. The second game of the day was against Roger Williams University. Both starters were excellent for four innings, with neither allowing a run. The fifth inning rolled around and Marywood’s offense came alive, when five Pacers came across the plate. Roger Williams was able to scrape one run across, but that would be all, as Marywood would remain undefeated, 5-1.
After an off day, Marywood was back to work against Mitchell College. Gregory had another phenomenal performance, but the bats fell silent, only collecting five hits as the Pacers lost for the first time, 2-0. Following a short break, Marywood looked to return to the win column, as they squared off against University of Wisconsin-Stout. Marywood struck once in both the first and second inning. Wisconsin-Stout cut the lead in the third, before taking it in the fourth. In the fifth frame, Morgan Sakulich walked in a run, before Grill followed suit, taking the lead back. In the seventh, Lauryn Notari spanked a double to give the Pacers a two run advantage. Wisconsin-Stout was able to tie it in the bottom half of the seventh. Para answered in the top of the eighth, with an RBI single. Gregory was able to slam the door as Marywood was victorious, 6-5.
On the final day of Spring Break games, Marywood started its day with Washington College. Washington College scored twice in the first, before tallying another in the fourth. Marywood was only able to muster a singular hit, as they dropped the Friday opener 3-0. Game two of the day was against Catholic University. Davis was the first Pacer to score, coming home in the first. Catholic answered in the third, before Notari answered in the bottom half of the inning. Gregory allowed a game-tying home run in the fourth, before another long ball was launched, as Marywood finished the trip with a 3-2 loss.
Men’s Lacrosse
The Pacers started Spring Break on the road at SUNY-Delhi. Aiden Kilkenny opened the scoring, but it was the only lead Marywood would have, as the Broncos would take the lead shortly after and wouldn’t relinquish it, as Marywood fell 14-6. Marywood returned to action Thursday, traveling to Misericordia University. Marywood was completely outclassed, with Dillon Kane scoring the Pacers two goals as the Pacers lost its fifth game of the season, 16-2. With sights set on rebounding from the blowout loss, the Pacers traveled to SUNY Morrisville to do battle with the Mustangs. The Pacers and Mustangs were knotted up at the end of the first, before. Kane netted the lone goal in the second for Marywood, equalizing the game after a Broncos’ goal in the second. That would be all she wrote, as SUNY Morrisville scored 10 unanswered goals to hand the Pacers their fourth straight loss, 13-3.
Women’s Lacrosse
Marywood’s first game of Spring Break was at Juniata College. Juniata opened the scoring with three straight goals. Oliver Stollsteimer, Kaitlyn Smith and Avery Meighan all contributed a goal to tie the match up at 3-3. Juniata and Marywood went tit-for-tat, ending the first period tied at four. After two more Juniata goals, Felicia Pescatore, Meighan and Smith scored, giving Marywood its first lead of the game. Juniata scored four unanswered, and though Meighan scored twice more to narrow the lead to one, Juniata continued the scoring onslaught, handing Marywood the 18-10.
Looking to bounce back, Marywood was set to face College of Mount Saint Vincent. Stollsteimer opened the scoring, before Natalie Yilanjian extended the Pacers lead to two. After a Mount Saint Vincent goal, Meighan and Yilanjian both netted goals. After another Mount Saint Vincent attempt to narrow the lead, Yilanjian scored her third goal of the game, before Emily McLaughlin scored. The lead was narrowed to one at the beginning of the third period, before Stollsteimer and McLaughlin found the back of the net again. Despite numerous attempts to take the lead, Marywood was able to hold the lead through the end of the game, and returned to the win column, 16-14.
Returning home, Marywood looked to build off their road victory as it hosted Wilson College. Meighan opened the game with a pair of goals in the first four minutes, as the Pacers ended the first quarter leading by a goal. Yilanjian netted her first goal of the game, before Wilson College answered back. Smith tallied one more goal, before Wilson countered, as the Pacers were ahead 5-4 at halftime. Wilson struck twice quickly in the third period to take the advantage, before Meighan scored her third goal of the game, tying it a six. Wilson struck twice more, before another Meighan goal sent Marywood into the fourth period trailing by one. Wilson opened the scoring, before Meighan’s fifth goal of the game cut into the deficit. The Pacers offense went mute in the final 10 minutes of the game, with Wilson adding one more for good measure as Marywood fell 10-8.
Men’s Tennis
In the first match of the Spring portion of the season, Marywood hosted DeSales University. The Pacers were dominated, losing every match, starting the Spring with a 9-0 loss.
Women’s Tennis
The Women’s squad started their Spring season hosting DeSales University. Marywood lost all the doubles matches, while Kylie Kilgore was the only Pacer to win her singles match, as it fell 8-1.
All stats are from MarywoodPacers.com as of March 20, 2024.
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