RALEIGH, N.C. – In just their third collegiate appearance, freshmen John Signore and Brendan Harkin held the eighth-ranked team in the country to their third lowest scoring output of the season in the Stags' 4-2 loss to #8 NC State. The duo was charged with just one earned run in their six combined innings, as Signore struck out four in his first career start.

The Stags (3-4) had a big opportunity to separate themselves from the Wolfpack (11-2) as their junior pitcher Cory Wilder lasted just two-thirds of an inning, walking three of his seven batters. NC State's leading strikeout pitcher from a year ago gave up a run and walked the bases loaded before being lifted for the side-armer Chris Williams. After falling behind 3-0 to Mitch Williams, the right hander forced the Fairfield catcher to hit a ground ball up the middle, but second baseman Stephen Pitarra ranged to his right and first baseman Preston Palmeiro completed the nice play by scooping the one hopper out of the dirt.

The Stags would score just one run in the opening frame, with Brendan Tracy the only Stag driving in a run on his sacrifice fly to the left field warning track that was dropped.

NC State evened the score in the bottom half of the frame after a dropped fly ball in foul territory allowed the at-bat to the Wolfpack's best overall hitter Preston Palmeiro to continue. A couple of pitches later, the left-hander and son of former MLB star Rafael Palmeiro, would jack his third home run of the season to tie the game at 1-1.

Signore settled down by retiring nine of the next 11 hitters he faced. However, NC State, who came into the game second in the ACC in home runs, forced the long ball to become the theme again. In the fourth inning, Shane Shepard slugged the second home run of his 2016 tally to give the home side a 2-1 lead. Signore did not allow another run and would go five innings striking out four. After three appearances, Signore currently has a 1.80 ERA.

NC State pushed across two more runs in the bottom of the sixth after RBI singles from Brock Deatherage and Josh McLain gave No. 8 NC State a 4-1 lead.

Fairfield cut the deficit in half after getting the first two base runners on in the top of the eighth after a single from Jake Salpietro and a walk to Mac Crispino. Starting his first career game, Tom Ryan cut the came up with the RBI when he singled home Salpietro with a base hit to left field.

NC State brought in their closer Tommy DeJuneas to close out the game, but the Stags made him sweat a little bit. Troy Scocca singled for his third hit of the game in the ninth inning and Kevin Radziewicz was hit by a pitch to put the tying run at first base. DeJuneas would get the next two batters on a strikeout and a ground ball to short.

Scocca recorded his third career three-hit game as Fairfield recorded eight hits and left 12 men on base.

Fairfield will try and salvage the final game of their two-game set against the Wolfpack tomorrow at 3pm.