LAKEWOOD, N.J. – Rookie Eric Fajardo scored the go-ahead run in the bottom of the eighth to lift the third-seeded Fairfield University baseball team a 3-2 victory over sixth-seeded Manhattan College in the opening game of the 2014 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Baseball Championship at FirstEnergy Park.

Junior starter EJ Ashworth threw a gem, going the distance and scattering two runs on five hits with five strikeouts and did not walk a batter. The First Team All-MAAC honoree improved to 6-2 on the season and lowered his ERA to 2.85.

Junior Alex Witkus got the Stags going in the bottom of the third inning, bunting for a base hit and advancing to second base on a sacrifice by Dean Sadik. Senior Rob LoPinto followed with a double down the left field line to plate Witkus and put the Stags on top 1-0. Senior Ryan Plourde walked while Jake Salpietro singled to load the bases with one out. Sebastian Salvo came through with a sacrifice fly to give the Stags a 2-0 lead. The Jaspers were able to get out of the inning without any further damage.

Ashworth, meanwhile, took a one-hit shutout into the seventh inning when Manhattan (17-32) finally got to him. Chris Kalousdian led off with a double and moved over to third on a single by Jose Carrera. Kalousdian then scored on a sacrifice fly for the Jaspers first run of the day. After Carrera stole second, he scored on a single by Brendan Slattery to tie the game 2-2.

With two outs in the bottom of the eighth and the score knotted at 2-2, Salvo singled to right while Jack Giannini followed with a single to left. A wild pitch allowed pinch runner Fajardo to move over to third and while Giannini beat the throw down to second base. An alert Fajardo took advantage of the Jaspers defense holding the ball second base as he sprinted home and slid under the tag to put the Stags ahead 3-2.

Ashworth slammed the door shut on the Jaspers in the top of the ninth inning, retiring them in order to send the Stags off with their first victory in the MAAC Championship since 2000.

Salpietro went 2-for-4 on the day. Plourde appeared in his 200th career game for the Stags and extended his streak of reaching base safely to 30 games.

Fairfield (31-22) will take on second-seeded Siena College on May 22 at 12pm at FirstEnergy Park. For live video, live stats, and complete information, visit MAAC Championship Central.