2012 Digital Publication
Weekly Game Notes
 
The Stags will open their 2012 campaign on Friday, February 24 against Youngstown State University in Kannapolis, N.C. Fairfield will face Long Island University in a doubleheader on Saturday before wrapping up its stay in North Carolina with a single game against Youngstown on Sunday afternoon.

For the first time in nearly three decades, the Stags will have a new skipper as Bill Currier takes over as head coach. Currier spent the 2011 campaign as the associate head coach for the Stags.

Fairfield, which was picked seventh in the MAAC Preseason Poll, are coming off its best season in nearly a decade. The Stags went 22-25 overall and 13-11 in the MAAC, finishing the regular season tied for fifth in the league standings, just missing a berth in the conference tournament. Fairfield not only boasted the best defense in the MAAC in 2011, but was ranked 12th in the nation entering the NCAA Baseball Regionals. The Stags defensive unit was also the best-ever in program history. The Stags recorded a .977 fielding percentage, committing a program low 40 errors in 1,107 chances. Fairfield also turned 46 doubles plays and allowed just 46 stolen bases against, both program bests.

The Stags return almost all their MAAC-leading defensive unit, including senior infielders Larry Cornelia, Anthony Hajjar, and Mark Skrapits. In the outfield, senior Tyler Wosleger returns after hitting .274 with 22 RBI last season.

In addition, the Stags return two of their three weekend starters in seniors Brett Shulick and Scott Warwick. Shulick went 4-3 in his first year as a Stag, finishing third in the MAAC with a 2.85 ERA. Warwick, in his first season as a weekend starter, picked up five victories for the Stags and posted a 4.43 ERA with 58 strikeouts.  Reliever Mark Bordonaro also returns after making 21 appearances with five saves and two victories in 2011. He enters his junior season 10 career saves, the second-most in program history.

The Stags will have 14 freshmen on the roster this season. Seven of those freshmen are pitchers. Six of the freshmen are from New York, four are from Connecticut, two are from Massachusetts, one is from New Jersey, and one is from Pennsylvania.

Including this weekend's stay in North Carolina, Fairfield will spend 25 of its first 27 games on the road. The Stags will be at home on March 7 to host St. John's University and won't return to Alumni Diamond until March 27 when Quinnipiac University visits. The Stags then play five more on the road before returning home on April 7. The 2012 Schedule also features the University of Delaware, Jacksonville University, and NCAA Regional and Big East Champion UConn in addition to the MAAC slate.