FAIRFIELD, Conn. – After over a year on the sidelines, the Fairfield University Baseball team showed how excited they were to return to the diamond as they used the power of the right arm of Trey McLoughlin and the power bat of Justin Guerrera to lead to a doubleheader sweep of Canisius. The Stags took the opener 7-4 and blasted six home runs in the nightcap for a 13-4 final score.
 
"I think our hitters did a great job of timing up fastballs and staying away from pitches out of the zone," Head Coach Bill Currier said. "They barreled up some good fastballs that were up and hit some home runs."
 
"We were really excited for this weekend," Guerrera said. "Especially being back at the Stag Dome and on our home turf. It was a great feeling to get back out there and we were itching to get out there. We just wanted to get back out there and playing."
 
Game One: Fairfield 7 Canisius 4
 
McLoughlin unleashed his power in the season opener, striking out 11 Canisius batters in six innings in picking up his first win of the season. His only blip came in the second inning as Canisius tallied three runs against the right-hander to take a 3-1 lead over the Stags.
 
Fairfield would answer back with three runs of their own in the bottom half of the second. In his first career home at-bat, Mike Becchetti lined a double to right field, scoring Charlie Pagliarini to cut the deficit to 3-2. The Stags would tie the game on a Mike Caruso RBI single and would take the lead on a Mike Handal run scoring double down the right field line.
 
The Griffs would tie the game in the fourth when Vinny Chiarenza took an 0-2 pitch over the right field wall for Canisius' first round tripper of the season.
 
Once again, the Stags would answer back with a three spot in the bottom half of the inning. After Becchetti scored on a throwing error, the Stags would use back-to-back sacrifice flies from Handal and Dan Ryan to gain a 7-4 advantage.
 
McLoughlin would hold that lead as he struck out five of the last seven hitters he faced and totaled 11 without surrendering a walk. Nick Grabek would finish the game with a perfect seventh inning as he picked up his first save of the season.
 
McLoughlin's 11 strikeouts matched the second most in his career. He built upon his last start against a MAAC team, which was a 14 strikeout complete game shutout performance against the Griffs in the 2019 MAAC Championships. In his last two starts against Canisius he has fanned 25 batters in 15 innings.
 
 
Game Two: Fairfield 13, Canisius 4
 
The bats were the story in the finale, with Guerrera's bat being the prime chapter. The junior belted three home runs, becoming just the third Stag ever to hit three home runs in a single game. His historic game started in the very first inning after Handal and Ryan led off the game with singles. Guerrera lined his first of the day to drive all three runs home and give the Stags a 3-0 lead.
 
In his next at-bat, Guerrera sent the first pitch of the bottom of the third over the center field wall to extend the Stag lead to 5-1.
 
Guerrera was not the only Stag to show their power in the final game as the Stags belted six homers in the contest. Becchetti would be the next Stag to touch them all as he blasted a 2-2 pitch well over the wall in left field, capping off an eight pitch at-bat and marking his first collegiate home run.
 
Guerrera capped off his night with a long home run in the sixth the cleared the trees over the scoreboard in left field. That was the second round tripper for the Stags in the frame as Handal also sent a long shot down the right field line clearing the wall.
 
The Stags capped their scoring with another long ball in the eighth, this time Ryan lined a shot over the left center field wall, a two run shot and bringing the Stags lead to 13-3.
 
Guerrera led the team with six RBI and three runs scored in the win with Handal, Ryan, and Becchetti all driving in a pair.
 
On the mound, Michael Sansone battled through seven innings in picking up his first victory of the season. After getting out of trouble with a strikeout in the third, Sansone settled down and would retire nine of the final 10 hitters he faced. He was also efficient needing just four pitches in a perfect sixth inning and five pitches in his final frame in the seventh.
 
Handal led the Stags with five hits in the twin bill with Guerrera and Becchetti each picking up four.
 
The Stags will try for the series win with another double header against Canisius on Sunday at 11:30am