Box Score

FAIRFIELD, Conn. - The Fairfield University baseball team nipped Yale University, 3-2, this afternoon in non-league action at Alumni Diamond. Junior Rob LoPinto, who was celebrating his birthday, went 2-for-2 with a home run, two walks, and two RBI to power the Stags.

Freshman Aaron Howell (1-1) picked up the win for the Stags, going 4.0 innings and scattering two runs on four hits with two strikeouts. Yale starter Ben Johnson had one of the more interesting lines of the day, throwing 1.2 hitless innings while walking six and striking out five batters.

Yale (6-19) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on an RBI double by Josh Scharff. Fairfield (10-17) tied it up in the bottom of the inning after Johnson balked with the bases loaded to force in a run. The Bulldogs regained the lead in the top of the fourth on an RBI double by Joe Lubanski.

With one on and one out in the bottom of the fourth inning, LoPinto picked an opportune time to hit his first collegiate home run. The birthday boy hit a two-run shot over the left field fence to give the Stags the 3-2 lead in what would prove to be the game-winner.

The Stags bullpen, meanwhile, held the Bulldogs to just one hit in the final five innings. Junior Christian Fox threw 2.0 innings allowing just one hit while Andrew Gallagher went 2.0 innings allowing just one walk and striking out two batters. Senior Kyle Capaldo retired Yale in order in the top of the ninth, striking out two of the three batters he faced, for his second save of the year.

Junior Ryan Plourde had his 18-game hitting streak snapped, remaining tied with Mike Svab and Ryan Bittner for the longest streak in program history. Plourde did, however, draw a walk to extend his on-base streak to 27 games.

Fairfield returns to action this weekend when the Stags resume MAAC action at Marist College. The two teams will play a doubleheader at 12pm on April 13 followed by the finale on April 14.