LEWISTON, N.Y. – The Fairfield University Baseball team earned a 6-5 victory in the series opener which led to a doubleheader split after falling 4-1 in the nightcap. Five different Stags recorded multiple hits in the opening victory, with
Dylan Reynolds leading the way with a 3-for-3 showing.
Game One: Fairfield 6, Niagara 5
Giacomo Brancato recorded the first three RBI for the Stags as his two-run single in the third capped a two out rally for the Stags.
Anthony Boselli would walk for the Stags to get a base runner with two outs, and
Dan Ryan would follow with a double before Brancato's single up the middle.
Brancato drove in the third run for the Stags as he grounded into a fielder's choice to score a run. Reynolds and
Mike Caruso would extend the Fairfield lead with back-to-back doubles.
Brancato was responsible for the final Fairfield run with a RBI single in the eighth.
Brancato, Reynolds,
Jack Gethings, Anthony Bosell, and
Dan Ryan all recorded multiple hits as the 3-to-7 spot in the lineup would hit .500 (11-for-22) and accounting for 11 of the team's 13 hits.
Michael Sansone kept the Purple Eagles lineup in check for his seven innings of work as he allowed just one run on four hits and five strikeouts. The Purple Eagles would score three runs in the ninth inning to cut the Fairfield lead to 6-5. With the tying run at second,
Eli Oliphant was able to get the final out with a ground out to the pitcher.
With the 13 hits, the Stags left 15 runners on base and would leave two runners on in four of the first five innings.
Game Two: Niagara 4, Fairfield 1
The Stags would leave 10 runners on base compared to just two for Niagara in their 4-1 loss. The Stags out-hit Niagara 9-3 but the Purple Eagle's Matthew Brash would only surrender one run in the Fairfield setback.
The Stags stranded the bases loaded in the first with a
Justin Guerrera double and a Gethings single. The Stags would not be able to cash in with a run in the fifth when
Dan Ryan's single drove in Guerrera.
Niagara would score twice in the first and second innings with a double and triple that drove in a pair of runs.
Austin Pope would retire the last 13 batters he faced, while striking out the last five Purple Eagles in the game. Pope would tally a career-high 11 strikeouts.
Gethings led the Stags with three hits in the setback, putting his career total to 259, which is just four shy of tying Tucker Nathans for the program record. His 76 hits also ties him for second on the program's single season list, just one away from tying Jake Salpietro for the single season record.
The Stags and the Purple Eagles will play in the rubber game with first pitch on Sunday at noon.
