BRONX, N.Y. – The Fairfield University baseball team pounded out 13 hits to down NJIT, 10-3, this afternoon at Houlihan Park.
Four Stags had multi-hit games. Junior Sebastian Salvo went 3-for-3 with a double, three runs scored, and two driven in. Sophomore Jake Salpietro was 2-for-4 with a home run, a double, and two runs scored. Junior Alex Witkus was 3-for-4 with two RBI while junior Sal Ciccone was 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
Fairfield got on the board in the bottom of the second. Billy Zolga led off with a double to the right field corner and scored on a single up the middle by Salvo. With one away, Witkus made it 2-0 with a blooper that dropped into short right allowing Salvo to score from third. NJIT was able to get out of the inning without any further damage. The Highlanders threatened in the top of the third inning, putting runners at second and third with two outs. Jeremy Soule was able to strikeout Mike Rampone looking to end the inning.
Fairfield broke it open in the bottom of the third inning with a four-run effort. With one out, Salpietro doubled to right field while Zolga walked on four straight pitches. Salpietro then scored on a Salvo single to centerfield to make it 3-0 while Zolga scored on a RBI groundout by Dean Sadik for the four-run advantage. Ciccone put the Stags on top 5-0 with a single to right field which plated Salvo. Ciccone later scored on a balk to make it 6-0.
Salpietro led off the fourth inning with a solo homer to right center, his third of the season, to extend the lead to 7-0. The Stags added two more runs in the inning off the bat of Ciccone and Witkus for the 9-0 advantage.
NJIT broke up the shutout in the top of the sixth inning. Teddy Bickert led off with a double and later scored on a one out single by Rampone. A passed ball led to the Highlanders second run of the day. Fairfield got one of the runs back in the bottom of the inning on a single by Jack Giannini. NJIT added its third run of the day in the top of the eighth inning.
Soule picked up the win after going his scheduled 3.0 innings, striking out four batters and holding NJIT to one hit. Sophomore Tim Duggan threw 2.0 scoreless and hitless innings of relief, striking out two of the six batters he faced. Freshman Kyle Dube tossed 1.1 scoreless innings of relief.
Fairfield (4-9) will open Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) play this weekend when the Stags travel to Iona College for a three-game series beginning on Saturday.
