Box Score

LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. -- Siena Baseball will head into next week's MAAC Tournament riding a wave of momentum. Pinch hitter Patrick Ortland delivered the game-tying solo home run with the Saints down to their final strike in the ninth inning, and Siena rallied again from a two-run deficit in the 10th to walk off with a thrilling 10-9 victory to complete the sweep of rival Marist.

Winners of seven of their last nine to close out the regular season, Siena (23-30, 16-8) has clinched the No. 2 seed and a First Round bye in the MAAC Tournament which will be held next Wednesday through Saturday at Dutchess Stadium in Fishkill, N.Y. The Saints will begin their quest for a sixth MAAC Championship Thursday at noon against the highest advancing seed in the winner's bracket from Wednesday's matchups between third seeded Monmouth and No. 6 seed Manhattan and fourth seeded Canisius and No. 5 seed Marist.

Siena battled back throughout, overcoming a five-run fifth-inning deficit as well as a two-run hole in the 10th to improve to a perfect 5-0 in extra inning affairs. The Saints concluded their impressive run through the conference schedule by winning their final seven MAAC series, capped by their first three-game sweep of the season.

Siena broke through with four runs in the bottom of the fifth punctuated by a two-run double by Phil Madonna to pull within 5-4. However, Marist (24-25, 13-11) maintained their lead and harbored a 7-6 advantage with two outs and the bases empty and the Saints down to their final strike in the bottom of the ninth.

But Ortland, who was making his first plate appearance of the series, came through with the biggest hit of his career. Down 1-2 in the count against Red Foxes' closer Ryan Thomas, he crushed the offering well over the right field wall to knot the score.

The celebration would be short-lived through as Marist struck first blood in extra innings. In the top of the 10th inning, Graham McIntire plated a two-run single to put the Red Foxes back in front 9-7. But with their backs against the wall once again, Siena wouldn't back down.

After the first out of the bottom of the 10th inning was recorded, the next six Saints reached base safely to cap the wild comeback. Dan Lowndes opened the scoring with an RBI single and Ian Dillard's infield hit chased home Brian Kelly with the tying run. With the bases loaded freshman Max Goione, who had just entered the game as a defensive replacement in the top of the inning, was hit on a 1-0 pitch from Thomas to force home Ryne Martinez with the winning run.

Siena pounded out 15 more hits as the Saints' red hot offense eclipsed double figures in scoring for the fourth time in the past 11 games after having reached the benchmark just twice in their first 42 games of the season. Six Saints registered multiple hits led by the freshman Dillard who recorded three hits and drove in three runs.

Zachary Racusin went 3-3 with three runs scored and John Brucker drove in three runs for Marist which will be seeded fifth in the MAAC Tournament and open against defending champion and No. 4 seed Canisius Wednesday at 3:30 p.m.

Siena will now set its sights on the MAAC Tournament where the Saints are set to make their fourth straight appearance and fifth in the past six years. Siena has advanced to the MAAC Championship Series in each of the past three years against Canisius, capturing the program's most recent title in 2014.