POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. (Interstat) — The Marist Red Foxes erased a three-run deficit with a chaotic four-run fifth inning to defeat the Saint Peter’s Peacocks 4-3 in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference baseball game Saturday at James J. McCann Baseball Field.

The victory, secured before an evening crowd after an afternoon start, gave Marist (4-12, 2-0 MAAC) a series win after taking the opener Friday. Saint Peter’s fell to 2-12 overall and 0-2 in conference play.

The game’s decisive turn came in the bottom of the fifth, an inning defined by free passes and defensive miscues. Trailing 3-0, Marist mounted its rally against Saint Peter’s starter James Ellis and reliever Frankie Caietta. Ellis, who had been dominant with 4 1/3 hitless innings, exited after hitting Noel Rivera and walking Connor Lawrence.

Caietta entered and promptly walked Nathan Lincoln to load the bases. A wild pitch scored Rivera, and a passed ball allowed Lincoln to scamper home, tying the game at 3. AJ Brotz, who had walked, later scored the go-ahead run on a sharp RBI single by Scott Esposito.

That sequence negated a strong outing from Ellis and a productive top of the fifth for the Peacocks. Saint Peter’s had extended its early lead with three runs off Marist starter Tyler Hartley. Alex Manent scored on a sacrifice fly by Aidan Forrest, and Chase Fogg came home on an RBI double by Max Abrams. Abrams later scored on an error.

Hartley (1-0) earned the win despite the three-run fifth. He worked five innings, allowing three hits and two earned runs while striking out seven. The Marist bullpen was flawless, as Connor Southwell and Aidan Vargas combined for four hitless innings of relief. Vargas struck out two in 1 1/3 innings to record the save.

Following the fifth-inning outburst, the Red Foxes’ relief corps shut the door. Zaine Toneske provided excellent long relief for Saint Peter’s, throwing 3 2/3 scoreless innings and allowing no hits after replacing Caietta, but the Peacocks’ offense mustered only one single over the final four frames against Southwell and Vargas.

Saint Peter’s managed just four hits total, with Abrams and Max Doninger each driving in a run. Marist collected eight hits, led by Lincoln, who went 2 for 3 with a walk, an RBI and two runs scored. Esposito’s go-ahead single was his lone hit in four at-bats.

The teams conclude the three-game series Sunday afternoon.