WAPPINGERS FALLS, N.Y. – Gavin Wallace just became the first Stag in 16 years to win eight games in a season, matching the program record, but if you ask him why the 5-2 victory over Manhattan was “the biggest win of the year,” all he could mention was that it made the top-seeded Stags advance in the MAAC Tournament and put them one victory away from the Championship Series.

“I don't care if I came into this game winless, if I win this game it's a good season,” Wallace said. “That's just a testament to not just how I pitch but to the defense behind me. They've been here all year, the run support has been awesome. If we're not scoring runs we're not going to win any games.”

“He focused in well today,” Head Coach Bill Currier said about his pitcher who was making his first career postseason start. “He threw three pitches for strikes. Manhattan has dangerous hitters and Gavin kept his pitch count efficient and did a good job.”

After three hitless innings to start off his first MAAC Tournament, Wallace allowed his first hit of the game and it was a loud one. MAAC Rookie of the Year Fabian Pena launched a one-out solo shot over the left field fence to put the sixth-seeded Jaspers (23-30) on the scoreboard.

While Wallace was sharp during the first four innings, the Jasper starter Joey Rocchietti was equally as impressive, surrendering a lone Fairfield (30-24) hit (a Jack Gethings bunt single) during the first three frames. Rocchietti pitched against the Stags during the regular season and did not allow a run.

The Stags did not need a hit to get their first runner on in the fourth when Michael Conti not only reached on a fielding error, but was alert enough to take second base off the carom. That play would prove to be beneficial for the Stags as Jake Salpietro drove in the tying run with a single up the middle. After he was sacrificed to second, Fairfield's leading hitter with runners in scoring position, Mac Crispino, came up clutch again. Crispino lined a RBI single into left center field to give the Stags their first lead of the game. For Crispino, it was his fifth hit in his last six at-bats with runners in scoring position, and all of those hits have either tied or given the Stags the lead.

The sophomore Wallace, pitching in the biggest pressurized game as a Stag, preserved that lead over the next four innings and surrendered just four total hits during his first seven innings of work. His most dominant frame came in the sixth when he recorded two strikeouts, including three-straight swings and misses from MAAC Player of the Year Christian Santisteban to work around a two-out single.

Wallace was forced to bear down in the seventh after a leadoff single and a two-out walk put two runners on but Wallace forced a lazy fly ball that was easily caught by Tyler Gambardella in left field.

The Stags knew they had to add on to their lead and they needed just one batter to accomplish that in the seventh. Troy Scocca launched his fifth home run of the season over the right center field fence to give Fairfield a 3-1 lead.

Fairfield kept that one out rally going when Gethings lined a single into center field for his third hit of the game, the second time in his career he has accomplished that. After a double by Gambardella,  Drew Arciuolo launched a fly ball the other way which was deep enough to score Gethings and make the Fairfield lead 4-1. Gambardella would later score when Michael Conti grounded a ball up the middle which the Manhattan shortstop made a nice lunging grab, but his throw was off the mark.

Those runs proved important as the Jaspers were able to scratch a run across in the eighth with a Pena RBI single. The freshman catcher notched three of Manhattan's seven hits off Wallace.

Mike Bonaiuto would replace Wallace with two outs in the eighth and the lefty struck out the lone man he faced in the frame to preserve the Stags lead at 5-2 through eight. Bonaiuto allowed a leadoff hit in the ninth, but then retired the next three batters to give the Stags their third win in the MAAC Tournament in the last three years.

For the Stags, Salpietro and Gethings led the squad with three hits apiece and Crispino followed in line with two base knocks, including his second career triple.

Fairfield will now advance to the winner's bracket final and take on the winner second-seeded Siena and fourth-seeded Canisius. If the Stags win that game on Friday at noon, they will advance to their third MAAC Championship Series in program history and the first since 2000.

Those two squads already have something in common, as both teams featured an eight game winner.