Box Score

FAIRFIELD, Conn.  – The Saint Peter's University baseball team scored nine runs in the top of the ninth inning to overtake Fairfield, 11-7, this afternoon in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) action at Alumni Diamond.
 
Freshman Jake Salpietro went 3-for-4 with a walk, two runs scored, and one driven in while senior Jack Giannini went 3-for-5 with two RBI.
 
Junior Ryan Plourde went 1-for-2 with two walks and was hit by a pitch. With a hit in his final at-bat, Plourde extended his hitting streak to 18 games and has now reached base in 26 consecutive games. Plourde's hitting streak is tied for the longest in program history; Mike Svab had an 18-game hitting streak in 1990 while Ryan Bittner had an 18-game hitting streak in 2000.
 
Sophomore starter EJ Ashworth received the no-decision despite turning in a stellar outing in which he took a shutout into the sixth inning. Ashworth went 7.2 innings, allowing just two runs on seven hits while fanning six batters.
 
Fairfield (9-17; 3-6 MAAC) got the scoring started in the bottom of the second inning on RBI singles by Giannini and Rob LoPinto. Senior Anthony Hajjarmade it 3-0 in the bottom of the fourth inning with a sacrifice fly. The Stags had an opportunity to score more but left the bases loaded for the second time on the day.
 
The Stags added three more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning on RBI singles by Alex Witkus, Giannini, and LoPinto. Fairfield loaded the bases with two outs, but Saint Peter's managed to escape the inning.
 
Ashworth, meanwhile, faced just 13 Peacocks through his first four innings of work. He allowed just two base runners via singles, one of which was erased on a double play. Saint Peter's (10-16; 4-2 MAAC) threatened in the top of the fifth but stranded a runner on third. The Peacocks finally broke through in the top of the sixth, pushing two runs across the plate. Fairfield later extended its lead to 7-2 in the bottom of the eighth inning on an RBI single by Salpietro.
 
In the top of the ninth, the Peacocks put their first two batters on. With one out, Jon Kristoffersen delivered an RBI double to set the rally in motion. Matt Speckmann followed with a sacrifice fly to pull the Peacocks within 7-4. Saint Peter's kept rolling along scoring seven more runs, three of which were off the bat of Chris Grimes, to overtake the Stags.
 
Freshman Tim Duggan took the loss while Nathaniel Leon picked up with win for Saint Peter's.
 
Fairfield returns to action on April 10 when Yale University visits Alumni Diamond at 3:30pm.