POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. (Interstat) — Nick Balcom delivered a dominant starting performance, and the Quinnipiac Bobcats salvaged the final game of their Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference series with a 6-2 victory over the Marist Red Foxes on Sunday evening at James J. McCann Baseball Field.

The Bobcats, who dropped the first two games of the weekend set, improved to 14-19 overall and 3-3 in the MAAC. Marist fell to 12-20 and 2-4.

The most important part of the game was Balcom’s overpowering outing, which stifled the Marist offense from the start. The right-hander carried a no-hit bid into the sixth inning, ultimately working 5 1/3 innings, allowing one earned run on no hits while striking out nine and walking two. His performance provided a crucial stabilizing force for Quinnipiac after consecutive losses.

Quinnipiac’s offense staked Balcom to an early lead, capitalizing on a Marist error in the first inning. After Alex Irizarry singled and advanced to third on an error, James Marino delivered a two-run single to give the Bobcats a 2-0 advantage.

They extended the lead in the second. Kyle Garbowski singled, stole second and scored on an RBI single from Peyton Vancas, who finished 3 for 3. Quinnipiac added another run in the fifth when Irizarry doubled home Cole Constable, who had walked and advanced on a passed ball.

Irizarry went 3 for 5 with an RBI, while Marino added two hits and two RBIs.

Marist starter Steven Mazza lasted 5 2/3 innings, yielding three earned runs on 10 hits. The Bobcats tacked on an insurance run against reliever Jack Sullivan in the sixth on Constable’s RBI single, making it 5-0.

Balcom’s no-hit bid was broken up in the sixth when Nathan Lincoln and Kyle Pollack hit consecutive one-out singles. Scott Esposito followed with an RBI double to plate Lincoln, ending Balcom’s day. Reliever J.C. Franconere entered and stranded two runners to preserve a 5-1 lead.

Quinnipiac responded in the eighth. Garbowski singled, Vancas doubled, and Chase Camac brought Garbowski home with a sacrifice fly.

Marist mounted its final threat in the bottom of the eighth. Pollack singled and Esposito reached on an error, putting runners on second and third. After a walk loaded the bases, pinch-hitter Dylan Millman drew another walk from Franconere to force in a run, cutting the deficit to 6-2.

Matt Alduino was summoned from the bullpen and promptly struck out Luke Monico and TJ Baer before getting a groundout to escape the jam without further damage. Alduino pitched two perfect innings of relief with three strikeouts.

Marist’s Esposito went 2 for 4 with an RBI double. Andrew Speranza pitched a perfect ninth inning for the Red Foxes.

The victory snapped a two-game skid for Quinnipiac in the series after Marist had won 9-2 and 7-5 on Friday and Saturday. The result flipped the pregame projections, as Interstat’s game simulator had predicted a 6-5 Quinnipiac win while its ELO system gave Marist a 51.6% probability of victory.

Quinnipiac finished with 12 hits to Marist’s seven.

The Bobcats host Yale on Wednesday. Marist travels to face Rutgers on Tuesday.