Box Score - Game One
Box Score - Game Two


BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Fairfield University baseball team split a crucial Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) doubleheader at Canisius College this afternoon. The Stags came from behind to defeat the Golden Griffins by a margin of 4-3 in the opener but saw another late inning rally fall short in the second game as Fairfield was edged, 7-6.

 

Fairfield (19-24; 10-10 MAAC) rallied from a three-run deficit in the eighth and ninth innings to overtake Canisius in the first game. The Griffs (21-28; 9-9 MAAC) took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on a double by Drew Pettit. Sean Jamieson extended the lead to 2-0 in the third with a solo home run. Canisius scored its final run of the contest in the fourth inning on a squeeze by Ryan Coppinger.

In the eighth, Stags rookie Ryan Plourde and senior Chris Horning were both hit by pitches to start the inning. After a successful sacrifice bunt by Anthony Hajjar, both runners moved up 90 feet. Plourde then scored on a wild pitch while Horning scored on a ground ball off the bat of Jack Giannini to pull Fairfield within 3-2.

In the top of the ninth, Ryan Furbeck drew a lead-off walk and scored on a one-out single by Tucker Nathans which tied the game. A misplay in the outfield on the single allowed Nathans to advance to third base. From there, Nathans scored the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly by Carmine DeVito. Reliever Mark Bordonaro retired the Griffs in order in the bottom of the ninth for his fifth save of the season.

Senior Brian Comiskey improved to 2-1 on the year after throwing two scoreless and hitless innings of relief. Junior Brett Shulick received the no-decision, after striking out six batters and scattering three runs over 6.0 innings of work. Shane Davis (4-6) took the loss, after allowing four runs, three earned, on two hits with strikeouts.

In the second game, Jamieson put the Griffs on the board in bottom of the first with a solo homer, his second of the day. Canisius added another run in the second inning and broke it open in the third by pushing four runs across the plate. The Stags got on the board in the fifth inning on a solo home run by Furbeck, his second of the season, which made the score 6-1. The Griffs got the run back in the bottom of the inning to return the advantage to six runs.

The Stags did not back down as they loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the sixth inning. Tyler Wosleger singled to first base to drive in a run. Junior Larry Cornelia followed with a single to centerfield to score Mike Maschi and Plourde and pull the Stags within 7-4.

In the top of the seventh, Fairfield continued to fight. Giannini led off with a pinch-hit ground-rule double to centerfield. With two outs, Plourde blasted a two-run homer over the left field fence to pull the Stags within, 7-6. After a pitching change, the Griffs were able to hold off Fairfield and get the final out of the game.

 

Canisius' Garrett Cortright (2-4) notched the win, despite allowing four runs on three hits over 5.2 innings. Starter Scott Warwick took the loss for the Stags after allowing six runs on seven hits in 3.0 innings.

 

Fairfield and Canisius will wrap up the series tomorrow, May 15, at 12pm.