FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Senior Class got many gifts to remember during their four-year career. They received pictures, bats, posters, more pictures, and many other gifts. But the one Brendan Tracy will stare at and instantly bring back memories that are so clear he could remember like it was yesterday, was picked up by his dad after the game. The ball that gave the Stags a regular season title and made today one of the best days in Tracy's life.

Two days before his graduation and on his Senior Day, Tracy launched a walk-off grand slam to give the Stags their first regular season title since 1983 and guarantee the Stags the top-seed in the upcoming MAAC tournament with an 8-4 victory over Quinnipiac.

“I stood there and watched because I knew I got all of it,” Tracy said. “Once I started running around first base I was like, 'Wow that just happened.' That doesn't happen to often and I'm glad it happened on my Senior Day.”

“I think any coach wants his senior to go out by getting a no-hitter, getting the winning hit, scoring the winning run,” Head Coach Bill Currier said. “It's a picture moment for him and it's something he's going to remember for the rest of his life.”

Tracy's heroics came in the first pitch he saw in the bottom of the ninth inning after the Stags (29-24, 17-7 MAAC) came within an out of winning the game in the top half of the ninth. Two errors in the inning allowed the tying run to get on and then eventually score. Mike Bonaiuto left the potential go-ahead run at third by getting a swinging strikeout to give the Stags another chance to win.

With one out in the ninth, the Stags notched three-straight singles to set the scene for Tracy to blast his first career grand slam.

Like they have all season, the Stags had to fight through challenges. Quinnipiac (21-31, 10-14 MAAC) got on the board in the opening inning on a Louis Iannotti sacrifice fly and the score would remain that way until the sixth.

Throughout the last week, the Stags have relied heavily on Mac Crispino to come through in RBI situations, and he did again. After Kevin Radziewicz lined a two-out double down the left field line, Crispino tied the game on a single to right center.

The junior would be relied on again in the eighth. After the Bobcats scored twice in the top half of the inning, The Stags threatened after Jake Salpietro led off the inning with an infield single and Radziewicz followed with his second double of the game. Crispino, the junior captain, took a 3-2 pitch into right field that found the grass and scored the tying runs. Crispino advanced to second after a Jack Gethings walk and then pinch hitter Mitch Williams, who has quietly gotten some of the biggest hits for the Stags this year, added another one on that total. Williams launched the first pitch he saw into right field for a RBI single to give the Stags the lead.

This marked the 13th comeback victory for the Stags this year, and the lucky number gave the Stags their first regular season title since the third year of the conference's existence. With a loss, the Stags would have gotten the three-seed after Canisius and Siena both won their games.

“We've certainly had to work for everything, that's for sure,” Coach Currier said. “It just wasn't easy coming. We beat a lot of odds of people counting us out. We took two-out-of-three when we needed to and put an exclamation point on the last game.”

“I think it shows that we are a championship caliber team,” Tracy said. “No matter what happens we know we're going to win and we stay after it. That's not easy to come by.”

The Stags, who were picked eighth in the MAAC Preseason polls, will now look for their first full MAAC title since that season 33 years ago. The Stags won the MAAC South Division in 1993 and 1995.  The Stags will play in their first game of the tournament on Wednesday, May 25 at 7pm against the lower-seeded winner of the two earlier games. The MAAC Tournament will be held in Fishkill, N.Y., at Dutchess Stadium.