Box Score - Game One
Box Score - Game Two


BUFFALO, N.Y.  – The Fairfield University baseball team extending its winning streak to five games by sweeping a doubleheader from Canisius College this afternoon in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) action at the Demske Sports Complex. The Stags knocked off the Griffs, 11-6, in the opener before registering an 8-5 win in the second game of the day.
 
Sophomore Alex Witkus had three hits in both games and went a combined 6-for-10 with a homer, four runs scored and two RBI. Junior Ryan Plourde was a combined 4-for-9 with four runs scored and three RBI. Junior Rob LoPinto was a combined 4-for-10 with four runs scored.
 
Fairfield (20-28; 11-12 MAAC) jumped on Canisius ace Garrett Cortright in the top of the first inning, sending 10 men to the plate and scoring six runs. After back-to-back singles by Witkus and LoPinto to start the game, Plourde singled through the left side to bring in Witkus. Senior Anthony Hajjar followed with a fielder's choice but a throwing error on the play allowed LoPinto to score and make it 2-0. Rookie Jake Salpietro then walked to load the bases while Jack Giannini was hit by a pitch to force in a run to make it 3-0. With two outs, Dean Sadik reached on a fielder's choice to push in Fairfield's fourth run of the inning. Salpietro stole home on a double steal to make it 5-0 while Sal Ciccone tripled home Sadik to make it 6-0.
 
LoPinto led off the second inning with a triple and scored on an RBI groundout by Plourde to make it 7-0. Witkus extended the Stags' lead to 8-0 in the top of the third inning with an RBI single. Canisius (38-15; 14-9 MAAC) finally got on the board in the bottom of the third inning on a homer by Ronnie Bernick and an RBI double by Jimmy Luppens to move within 8-2. Fairfield got both of those runs back in the top of the fourth inning on a sacrifice fly by Hajjar and an RBI groundout by Salpietro. The Griffs struck again in the bottom of the fourth with a three-run effort and pulled within 10-6 on sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fifth inning. In the top of the sixth, Witkus led off with his first collegiate home run to make the score 11-6 where it would stay.
 
Cortright (10-3) lasted just 4.0 innings, allowing 10 runs, six earned, on eight hits. Sophomore EJ Ashworth improved to 3-4 on the year for the Stags, scattering six runs on eight hits in 5.0 innings. Sophomore Anthony DiMauro went 2.0 hitless and scoreless innings while freshman Tim Duggan tossed the final two innings, striking out four batters.
 
In game two, Fairfield started the contest by delivering five straight singles, including an RBI single by Hajjar and a two-RBI single by Salpietro which made the score 3-0. Canisius rookie Alex Godzak was able to get out of the inning without any further damage. The Griffs responded in the bottom half of the inning, pushing four runs across the plate against rookie starter Aaron Howell to overtake the Stags, 4-3.
 
Both pitchers settled down until the fifth inning, that's when the Stags tagged Godzak for four runs. Witkus led off with a single, stole second, and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Plourde poked one into left field to drive in Witkus and tie the game. With two outs, Salpietro hit an inside the park homerun to put the Stags on top, 6-4. After Giannini singled and stole second, Mike Bennett drove him in with a single to right center to extend the lead to 7-4.
 
Fairfield scored again in the top of the seventh as Bennett doubled with one out and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Ciccone to make the score 8-4. In the bottom of the seventh, the Griffs' Connor Panas was hit by a pitch with one out and later scored on an RBI groundout by Luppens. Brooklyn Foster followed with a single but Jesse Kelso flied out to end the game.
 
Howell (4-2) went 5.0 innings, scattering four runs, three earned, on six hits while fanning six batters. Senior Kyle Capaldo picked up his third save of the season, going 2.0 innings and allowing one run on two hits with two strikeouts. Godzak (8-3) took the loss, charged with seven runs on 11 hits with three strikeouts in 4.2 innings.
 
Fairfield had 14 hits in game two with five Stags posting multi-hit games, including Salpietro who was 2-for-3 with four RBI.
 
Fairfield has won eight of its last nine games and has captured its final three MAAC series of the season. The Stags close out their 2013 campaign tomorrow, May 17, at 12pm at Canisius.