STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – The bright lights of a championship tournament can bring out the best in any athlete. Facing the brink of elimination twice, the Fairfield University Baseball team got that memorable performance as the Stags shutout top-seeded Canisius on the strength of the right arm of
Trey McLoughlin, 5-0 and rode an impressive performance to an 11-5 victory over Manhattan to advance to the MAAC Championship Series on Sunday against in-state rival Quinnipiac. It marks the second time in the last four seasons that the Stags will be playing for the conference title.
Game One: Fairfield 5, Canisius 0
In their first elimination game of the day,
Trey McLoughlin dominated the Canisius batters as he tossed perhaps the best game of his life. The right-hander threw a complete game shutout while striking out a career-high 14 batters while surrendering just three hits. It marked the second complete game of the season for McLoughlin, who earned his first career shutout.
"My last couple of starts weren't very good but I've been busting my butt," McLoughlin said. "I've been working on hitting my spots and changing speeds. I think I'm back to myself again and it feels really good."
"The story was certainly
Trey McLoughlin," Head Coach
Bill Currier said. "He showed up when we needed him and it's a real credit to his character and his maturity to step up in a tournament in a big game, in the fourth game, that was huge on his behalf. We've been waiting for that and it couldn't happen at a better time and a more important game."
McLoughlin was in control from the start as he recorded six of his eventual 14 strikeouts in the first three innings. He did not allow his first hit until the sixth on a Conner Morro two-out single. He overpowered the Canisius hitters by striking out at least one batter in all but one frame, which happened to be that sixth inning.
Only one batter reached third base in the game, with two outs in the seventh. McLoughlin would strike out Cole Hollins to retire the side.
The Stags picked up all of their five runs in the eighth as they were finally able to solve Canisius' Nolan Hunt.
Anthony Boselli had the first big hit with a two-run single to left and
Dan Ryan plated a pair with a double. For Boselli, the RBI were his 50th and 51st of the season, breaking the program's single season record.
McLoughlin ended the game by striking out the side in the ninth.
Game Two: Fairfield 11, Manhattan 5
The Stags faced another elimination game just one hour later and grabbed an early lead with a run in the first and one in the third. Boselli was once again at the forefront of the scoring with a single to left, which scored
Jack Gethings, who doubled with two outs in the previous at-bat.
Gethings would bring home the second Fairfield run with a sacrifice fly in the third.
Manhattan would plate three runs in the fourth to grab their first and only lead of the night with a 3-2 advantage.
The Stags responded with a four spot in the bottom half, loading the bases with one out with
Mike Caruso,
Tim Zeng, and
Tom Ryan singles.
Justin Guerrera tied the game with a single through the left side and the Stags would grab the lead on a wild pitch. Gethings would bring home another runner with an infield single. Boselli capped the scoring with a RBI single to left.
The Stags would add a
Tom Ryan RBI double in the fifth.
Dan Ryan had another big blow with a two run double in the seventh, and
Dylan Reynolds picked up a run scoring single to cap the scoring.
Jake Noviello started and allowed two runs in three innings, both scoring on inherited runs.
Brendan Harkin was impressive in his two innings of work by picking up two strikeouts.
Nick Grabek earned the win with three solid frame.
The Stags will need to win two games in the MAAC Championship series against Quinnipiac, who is coming out of the winner's bracket. Fairfield will be looking for their second MAAC Tournament title with the last one coming in 2016.
