Senior Day Photo Gallery
Box Score - Game One
Box Score - Game Two


FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Fairfield University junior Anthony Hajjar drove in the game-winning run with one out in the bottom of the tenth to help the Stags split a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) doubleheader against Marist College this afternoon in the regular season finale at Alumni Diamond. Fairfield took game two by a margin 3-2 in extra innings while Marist eked out a 4-3 victory in the opener.
 
With the win, Fairfield moved to 27-26 overall, setting the program record for wins in a season. In addition, the Stags improved to 14-10 in league play and will to head next week's MAAC Baseball Championship as the tournament's third seed and will face No. 2 Canisius in the opening round.
 
Hajjar was a combined 4-for-8 on the day with two RBI and a run scored. Sophomore Ryan Plourde belted a pair of homers while Mike Bennett was a combined 3-for-5 on the day. Rookie Sal Ciccone was 3-for-6 on the day and accounted for the Stags' game-winning run.
 
The second game of the day was a pitcher's duel from the start as both teams went scoreless until the eighth inning. For the Stags, rookie Jeremy Soule was nearly untouchable in 6.2 innings of work, holding the Red Foxes to just one hit in the no-decision. Freshman Ian Tresser came on in relief in the seventh to close out the frame.
 
With two outs in the top of the eighth, Marist (25-24; 11-11 MAAC) got to reliever Mark Bordonaro as an RBI single by Zach Shank put the Red Foxes on top, 1-0. Marist moved out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the ninth inning on an RBI single by Alec Petrone.
 
Fairfield rallied in the bottom of the ninth inning. With two outs, Plourde homered to deep left center to pull the Stags within 2-1 and break-up Chris Bielak's shutout. Bennett followed with a single to keep the rally going. After pinch runner Mike Maschi advanced to second on a wild pitch, he scored on a single by the hot-hitting Rob LoPinto to tie the game and force extra innings.
 
In the top of the tenth, rookie pitcher Chris Kalica held off Marist to give the Stags a chance in their last at-bat. Ciccone led the bottom of the tenth off with a single. With one out, senior Larry Cornelia and junior Jack Giannini drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. Hajjar then sent a 1-2 pitch into right field allowing Ciccone to score easily from third and give the Stags their sixth victory in the last seven games.
 
Kalica (1-0) picked up his first collegiate win in his relief effort while Marist reliever Brendan Dolan (6-3) took the loss after allowing one run on two hits in two-thirds of an inning.
 
The first game of the day was also a close battle. Marist jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning but Fairfield answered in the bottom half of the stanza as Plourde hit a two-run homer to leftfield. The Red Foxes pulled ahead 3-2 in the top of the second, but Hajjar tied the game in the third with an RBI single. In the top of the fourth, Pat Welsh drew a leadoff walk and later scored on an RBI single by Shank to give Marist a 4-3 lead.
 
Marist starter Jake Rifkin was able to fend off Fairfield, holding the Stags scoreless the rest of the way en route to the victory. Rifkin tossed a complete game, allowing three runs on seven hits with a strikeout. Senior Gavin McCullough took the loss, allowing four runs on five hits in 3.2 innings. Rookie Andrew Gallagher tossed 3.1 scoreless innings of relief, giving up just one hit and striking out four batters.
 
The 2012 MAAC Baseball Championship will be held May 24-27 at Joe Bruno Stadium in Troy, N.Y. Tickets are available for purchase on maac.ticketleap.com. For more information about the event, visit MAAC Championship Central.