Box Score

QUEENS, N.Y.  – The Fairfield University baseball team fell to Big East foe St. John's University, 10-5, this afternoon at Jack Kaiser Stadium.
 
The Stags got on the board in the top of the first inning. With two outs, junior Ryan Plourde reached on an error and then scored on a double to right center by senior Anthony Hajjar. St. John's tied it up in the bottom half of the inning on a sacrifice fly by Danny Bethea.
 
The Red Storm took the 2-1 lead in the bottom of the second after Jamal Clarke reached on a two-out error and then scored on a Ty Blankmeyer single. Blankmeyer then gave St. John's a two-run lead, 3-1, in the bottom of the fourth with a two-out single to right center.
 
In the fifth inning, sophomore Dean Sadik led off with a double down the left field line and later scored on an RBI groundout by Alex Witkus to make the score 3-2. St. John's (20-26), however, scored three times in the bottom of the frame to extend its lead to 6-2.
 
Fairfield threatened in the top of the sixth, loading the bases with one out. The Stags got one run on a fielder's choice by freshman Keith Skinner but the Red Storm was able to get out of the inning without any further damage. St. John's then added two runs in the bottom of the seventh to make the score 8-3 and tacked on two runs in the bottom of the eighth.
 
In the top of the ninth, St. John's walked the first two Stags of the inning. Sophomore Sal Ciccone followed with a single to score leadoff man Brian Murphy to make the score 10-4. With two outs, Fairfield was able to load the bases. After battling at the plate, Hajjar was hit by a pitch to force in the Stags' fifth run of the day. Red Storm reliever Thomas Hackimer then checked in and got the final out of the game.
 
Freshman Tim Duggan (0-2) made his first collegiate start, going 4.0 innings and scattering three runs, two earned, on three hits in the loss. Ryan McCormick (3-5) picked up the win after allowing just two unearned runs on three hits and a walk with two strikeouts in 5.0 innings of work.
 
Fairfield (12-26) continues non-league play tomorrow when it travels to Stony Brook University for a 3:30pm start. The Stags will play their final home series of the season May 4-5 by hosting Iona College. Prior to first pitch on Sunday, Fairfield will honor its senior class.