Box Score
QUEENS, N.Y. – The Fairfield University baseball team took Big East foe St. John's University to extra innings but was edged, 2-1, in the tenth on Tuesday afternoon at Jack Kaiser Stadium. Junior starter Scott Warwick took a no-hitter into the sixth inning and the Stags (5-6) pitching staff held a potent Red Storm (6-8) offense to just six hits on the day.
Fairfield took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning. With one out, sophomore Anthony Hajjar doubled up the middle, advanced to third on a single by senior Chris Horning, and trotted home on a single to center by junior Ryan Furbeck.
Warwick, meanwhile, no-hit the Preseason Top-25 Red Storm through five innings. In the top of the sixth, Joe Witkowski broke up the no-hitter with a leadoff single and eventually came around to score on a wild pitch to knot the game, 1-1. The two teams would remain scoreless until the bottom of the tenth. St. John's did threaten in the bottom of the ninth, loading the bases with two outs. Reliever Gavin McCullough was able to stave off the rally, forcing Witkowski to fly out to centerfield and force extra innings.
In the bottom of the tenth, Kyle Richardson drew a one-out walk off senior Brian Comiskey and Joe Panik followed with a single through the right side to advance Richardson around to third. Jeremy Baltz, a 2011 Preseason All-American and the 2010 Louisville Slugger Freshman of the Year, drove in the game-winning run with a single to right field to plate Richardson.
Warwick received the no-decision despite his solid effort on the mound. The righty struck out three batters and scattered one run on two hits and four walks in six innings of work. McCullough threw three scoreless innings of relief, holding the Red Storm to just two hits. Comiskey (0-1) was charged with the loss, his first in four appearances this season.
Matt Carasiti (1-0), who entered the game with a 0.93 ERA, notched the win for the Red Storm, striking out two of the three batters he faced in the top of the tenth. St. John's starter Brendan Lobban went five innings, allowing one run on six hits while striking out four batters. Sean Hagan threw four scoreless innings of relief, surrendering just one hit to Fairfield.
The Stags had seven hits on the day, including a 2-for-3 effort by Furbeck and a 2-for-4 performance by junior Mark Skrapits. For the Red Storm, Baltz went 2-for-4 on the afternoon.
Six of Fairfield's 11 games this season have been decided by one run, three of which have been extra-inning affairs.
Fairfield returns to action on March 18 with the first of three games in the Philadelphia, Pa. area. The Stags travel to Temple on Friday, visit Villanova on Saturday, and conclude the trip at Saint Joseph's on Sunday.
