WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. – In less than 24 hours the race for the MAAC regular season baseball champion will be that much clearer. The Fairfield University baseball team earned a doubleheader split with the Monmouth Hawks by taking the first game 9-6 but dropped the nightcap's pitching duel 1-0. The even result puts even more importance for Sunday's noon finale. If Monmouth wins that contest, they will clinch the regular season championship. However, if the Stags were victorious, they would control their own destiny for the league's number one seed.

The Stags (25-23, 14-6 MAAC) made their statement just five batters into the game after a Kevin Radziewicz RBI bloop single put Fairfield on the board and Mac Crispino came through with a two-run double to give the road side a 3-0 lead.

That was the story of the first game for the Stags. Whenever they needed a big hit, they got it. Monmouth (26-24, 16-7 MAAC) fought back every chance they got, eventually tying the game in the fourth inning on a Justin Trochiano RBI double. But just like the hitters, the Fairfield pitchers stepped up when they needed to. John Signore battled all afternoon, throwing 91 pitches in four innings but did his job of keeping the Stags in the game. After Trochiano doubled in the tying run, the freshman bared down and got the final two outs to get out of the jam.

The Stags showed off their power in the later innings to pull in front. Brendan Tracy, who hit two homers in the final week of the season last year, recorded his first of the season in the sixth inning, giving the Stags a 5-3 lead. Radziewicz notched two more RBI in the next frame with his two-run double.

But the Hawks would not go away, tallying three runs in their half of the seventh to pull within a run. With two outs and a runner on, the Hawks recorded four-straight hits, two of those extra base knocks for their damage.

Aaron Howell, who lowered his bullpen ERA to 2.01 stopped the damage throwing the final 2.1 scoreless innings. The senior was able to exhale when junior Michael Conti connected on the first home run of his career, sending a two-run shot over the right centerfield wall and extending the lead to 9-6.

The Stags were not able to duplicate their magic in the nightcap, managing just four hits against Monmouth starter Ricky Dennis, who earned his eighth win of the season. For the first four innings, Gavin Wallace matched Dennis pitch for pitch, but the sophomore ran into trouble in the fifth, allowing a RBI single to Ryan Bailey. Wallace settled down and got the first two outs of the inning and Mike Bonaiuto, the winner of the first game, notched the final out keeping the deficit 1-0.

Fairfield had their chances, getting the leadoff man on in the final two innings, including two-straight hits to begin the sixth, but could not get the runners home.

Conti was the only Stag with hits in both contests, with three in the opener and one of the four team knocks in the seven-inning match.

The Stags still have not clinched a playoff spot but got one game closer. Fairfield needs to just one more victory over their next four games OR a single Manhattan loss over the same span.

The Stags and the Hawks will battle for the series, knowing all the implications of the series finale, starting on Sunday at noon.