May 20, 2001

Marist College repeated as the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Baseball Champions with an 11-3 victory over Rider this afternoon in the 2001 MAAC Tournament at Dutchess Stadium.

Marist (32-19-1) opened up the scoring in the bottom of the first inning as Tim Bittner (Wilmington, DE) hit a RBI single through the left side to bring in Steve O'Sullivan (Bronx, NY). Rider (27-27) responded with three runs in the top of the second, with Scott Rich recording a two-run double to right field and his own run on a sacrifice fly from Carl Loadenthal.

The Red Foxes, however, would take the lead for good as Most Valuable Player Anthony Bocchino (Brooklyn, NY) knocked a grand slam home run into right field with two outs in the bottom of the second (5-3). Bocchino finished the day 3-for-5 with two runs and five RBI.

Marist's Kevin Ool (Middletown, NY) earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team with his fifth win of the season, striking out nine batters on afternoon, upping his mark to 5-4. Rider's Bob Young fell to 7-5 on the mound for the Broncs.

Joining Bocchino and Ool on the All-Tournament Team were teammates Ben Cueto (Guttenburg, NJ), O'Sullivan, Ryan Brady (Mahopac, NY) and Bittner. Rider's Rich Brooks, Casey Long and Carl Loadenthal were also named to the team, while Siena's Bill Cilento and LeMoyne's Eddie Harper and Jaime Steward rounded the members of this year's squad.