WAPPINGERS FALLS, N.Y. (Interstat) — A four-run fourth inning capped by a grand slam from Luke Monico propelled Marist to a 10-8 victory over Canisius in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference baseball championship Wednesday at Dutchess Stadium.

The Red Foxes, who entered the tournament as the seed with a 22-29 record, jumped out to a 10-0 lead through four innings and then held off a furious Golden Griffins rally that cut the margin to two runs. Canisius, the seed, fell to 21-26.

Marist starter Tyler Hartley earned top-star honors with three scoreless innings of relief. Hartley, who had struggled in his previous outing -- allowing five earned runs in 3⅓ innings against Fairfield on May 10 -- entered the game in the fourth inning and retired all nine batters he faced, striking out one. He did not allow a hit.

The Red Foxes scored four runs in the first inning without a home run. After a single by Adam Brotz, a hit batter and a wild pitch, Noel Rivera delivered a bunt single that was thrown away by Canisius pitcher Justin LoPinto, allowing two runs to score. A sacrifice bunt by Chase Lawrence brought home another run, and Marist led 4-0 after the top of the first.

Canisius stranded two runners in the bottom of the first, and the game remained 4-0 until the fourth inning. In the top of the fourth, Rivera walked and stole second, and Lawrence walked and stole second. After a strikeout, Denny McGowan walked to load the bases. Monico then launched a 1-0 pitch over the left-field wall for a grand slam, extending the lead to 8-0.

Marist added two more runs later in the fourth. Brotz reached on a throwing error, and after a single by Nick Lincoln and a fielder’s choice, Canaan Diaz tripled to left field, driving in two runs. Rivera doubled to score Diaz, making it 10-0.

The Golden Griffins mounted a comeback in the bottom of the fifth, scoring seven runs on six hits. After a leadoff single and a hit batter, Timmy Kaufman’s single loaded the bases. Bennett Cox singled to center field to drive in two runs. A groundout by Michael Cisco scored another, and Thomas Zwirecki doubled to plate Cox. Joseph Spinosa singled to bring home Zwirecki, and after a balk and an error, Anthony Marcello singled to drive in two more runs. Marist used three pitchers in the inning -- Jason Burt, Jason Bassett and Aidan Vargas -- but Vargas struck out the final two batters to end the rally with Marist still ahead 10-7.

Canisius cut the deficit to 10-8 in the sixth. Cox singled, stole second, and scored on a single by Cisco. The Golden Griffins threatened again in the eighth, putting a runner on base via an error, but reliever Logan Scholl pitched two scoreless innings, striking out two. Jack Sullivan closed the game with a perfect ninth, striking out two.

Marist’s offense produced 10 hits. Rivera went 2 for 4 with two RBIs and two stolen bases. Monico finished 1 for 4 with the grand slam and four RBIs. Diaz tripled and drove in two runs. Canisius outhit Marist 14-10, getting two hits from Kaufman, Marcello, Cisco and Spinosa. Cox drove in two runs. Zwirecki doubled and drove in one.

For Canisius, starting pitcher Sam Staerker tossed five innings of relief, giving up four hits and no earned runs while striking out seven. But the damage from the early innings proved insurmountable.

The game featured a third-inning ejection of a Canisius player after a replay review confirmed interference on a double play. The player’s name was not disclosed in the game account.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Canisius 7, Marist 6. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Marist with a 53.20 percent probability to win.