WAPPINGERS FALLS, N.Y. – All season long, you can never predict who will be the star from one game to another when it comes to the 2016 Fairfield University baseball team. That's because there has not been one individual who sticks out among the others. Instead they built a program around chemistry and the “next man up approach.” That philosophy has them within a win of hoisting the MAAC trophy. Today, Drew Arciuolo picked up the offense and Aaron Howell and Mike Bonaiuto shutdown the hot Canisius bats as the Stags pulled out an 8-5 victory to bring them to their first MAAC Championship Series appearance since 2000.

“It's pretty unbelievable,” Arciuolo said. “We know we have this kind of talent and this kind of hard work. We have to stay focused and we're one win away from doing what we've been working for.”

“I can believe it,” Head Coach Bill Currier said. “We've done pretty well throughout the year and finished first. It's where we expect to be.”

Arciuolo provided the sparkplug as he tied his career-high with three hits and finished a double short of the cycle, all within the first four innings. The sophomore started his career day off with a line drive the other way which he legged out for a triple and would later score the game's first run on a Michael Conti groundout. In a game that featured 18 total walks, Fairfield (31-24) got the biggest two in the first as Brendan Tracy and Troy Scocca forced in runs with bases loaded walks to give the Stags a 3-0 lead.

Kyle Dube was also the victim of free passes on a hot day where the temperature reached 91 degrees. He was able to get the big out when he needed to with the only early runs coming on a sharp comebacker that bounced off his glove and two runs were able to score off the ricochet.

 Dube's centerfielder was able to rescue the right hander in the next two frames as he continued his career day. Arciuolo lined his first career home run in the second and followed with a RBI single in the third, extending the Stags lead to 5-2.

The walks started to catch up to Dube in the fourth as his sixth walk of the first three innings led to a Jake Lumley RBI single, bringing in Canisius' (32-26) third run and the Griffs inched within a run on a Liam Wilson sacrifice fly.

Canisius got another break in their half of the sixth inning when a line drive by Lumley barely found the right field foul line and Wilson tied the score with a RBI single as the next batter.

Besides allowing that RBI single Aaron Howell, who came in the fifth inning in relief of Dube, did his job to calm the Canisius bats. The senior gave up just three hits in his three innings of work. His evening was capped when Anthony Massicci lined a shot that Mac Crispino was able to glove and touch first base for the unassisted double play in the seventh.

Jake Salpietro continued his hot hitting, notching three hits for the second-straight game including the eventual game winning home run in the sixth. The Stags tacked on insurance runs in the eighth when Tracy was hit by a pitch and Scocca drew another walk to extend the Fairfield advantage to 8-5.

Howell was not the only Fairfield reliever to make an appearance, as for the second-straight game Mike Bonaiuto was called upon to close the game out. The junior southpaw retired all six batters he faced and propelled the Stags to their first MAAC Title appearance since 2000.

The Stags will now await their opposition with the winner of the 7:00pm game advancing to the final series. Since Fairfield is coming out of the winner's bracket, they will have to win just one game tomorrow as their opposition will need to win back-to-back games against the Stags. The first contest will start on Saturday at noon, followed by the if necessary game at 3:30pm.

Fairfield has never won a MAAC Championship Final, losing in the final series in 1995 and 2000. Fairfield does have three MAAC titles, coming in 1983, 1991, and 1993. However, those latter two seasons there was not a tournament and Fairfield won the MAAC South Division. Also, with a win the Stags will see their name in the NCAA Tournament for the first time ever.

“We have a long way to go,” Coach Currier said. “We want to get deeper in the games with our pitchers. We just hope the guys come in Saturday ready to go.”

“We say, 'we don't dream, we just work hard,” Arciuolo said.

They might say they don't dream, but they are one win away from fulfilling their goal.