STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – All year long the Fairfield University Baseball team kept their fans on the edge of their seats. Tonight, they made even the most patient fan jump clear out of them. Just a few minutes before midnight, Jack Gethings crushed a three-run homer in the bottom of the tenth to keep the Stags dream of a championship alive with a 5-2 walk-off victory over Monmouth. It was the first home run of the season for the 2019 MAAC Player of the Year and advanced the Stags to the next round of the tournament, as they face top-seeded Canisius on Saturday at 3pm.
 
"My first two swings weren't good so I was just trying to put the ball in play and not strikeout," Gethings said. "It's awesome to see the team go crazy and run to home plate. Just knowing that I helped out and helped the team win, it feels amazing. We live to see another day."

This game-winner was the first career walk-off for Gethings at any stage of his baseball career.

In a 2-2 tie in the 10th, the first two runners would reach base with a Mike Caruso walk and a Tom Ryan fielder's choice sacrifice bunt. Tim Zeng sacrificed both runners over to set the stage for Gethings' heroics.
 
To make this game even more improbable, the Stags had to mount a rally in the ninth as they trailed 2-1 in the final frame. Fairfield was down to their final strike with nobody on, but Gethings would reach base on a hit by pitch. The next batter, Anthony Boselli would also fight to his final strike before being hit a pitch to put the tying run in scoring position. Dan Ryan would be the Stag to tie the game as he roped a game-tying RBI single to left with Gethings sliding in.
 
Eli Oliphant allowed these magical moments to happen as he tossed 3.1 scoreless frames to keep the Stags within striking distance. Oliphant entered with two outs in the seventh and would surrender just three hits in his outing.
 
In his first MAAC Championship appearance, freshman Michael Sansone gave the Stags everything they needed with 6.2 innings while giving up just two earned runs. Sansone needed just 74 pitches in his 6.2 innings with six strikeouts and four hits.
 
Gethings and Dan Ryan combined for five of the team's eight hits with Ryan leading the way with a game-high three base hits.
 
With the victory, the Stags have now set a new program standard for wins in a season with 33.
 
Fairfield will next take the field in another elimination game when they take on top-seeded Canisius on Saturday at 3pm.