NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – The No. 25 Fairfield University Baseball team showed how complete of a team they are. After having the pitching staff lead the Stags to two wins yesterday, the offense carried the load by clubbing 21 hits and scoring 18 runs in another doubleheader sweep over Niagara with final scores of 10-8 and 8-5. With the victories, the Stags officially lock up the MAAC Regular Season Championship with an unbelievable 32-1 record. The .970 winning percentage is currently the highest in NCAA Baseball Division I history, surpassing Arizona State's record of .914 (64-6) set during the 1972 season.
"The story today was having great persistence and staying after it and believing we can come back from a deficit like that," Head Coach
Bill Currier, who won his 250th Fairfield game said. "It was good credit to our offense and overcoming a deficit like that."
Game One: Fairfield 10, Niagara 8
The Stags made their biggest comeback of the year as they faced a 6-1 deficit in the top of the fifth with three innings to go.
Charlie Pagliarini started the comeback with a leadoff homer to right to give the Stags the momentum. Fairfield would score two more times in the frame helped out by a throwing error and a RBI groundout by
Mike Handal.
With the deficit now 6-4, the Stags would match their three run output in both the sixth and seventh innings.
Mike Becchetti cut the deficit to just one run with a RBI double in the sixth. After a walk to Pagliarini loaded the bases,
Mike Caruso walked to tie the game and
Matt Venuto gave the Stags the lead with a sacrifice fly.
Fairfield would add three more insurance runs in the top of the seventh with
Justin Guerrera opening the scoring with a RBI single. Becchetti would drive in his second run of the game with a single to centerfield and Pagliarini capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly. Caruso nearly cracked the game open by driving a deep ball to centerfield where the centerfielder leaped over the wall to take a home run away.
Those insurance runs proved to be vital as Niagara started a two out rally in the bottom of the seventh that saw them score two more runs to put the score at 10-8.
Nick Grabek would complete his fourth save of the season by striking out the potential tying run to end the game.
Eight different Stags picked up hits in the opener with
Mike Handal, Becchetti, and
Owen Wosleger each picking up multi-hits.
Game Two: Fairfield 8, Niagara 5
After getting two hits in the opener, Handal was at the offensive forefront by blasting two homers in the nightcap, including a leadoff homer to right to begin the game.
Niagara would match Handal's leadoff blast with a leadoff homer of their own in the bottom of the first.
The Stags kept the offensive firepower going in the fourth as they regained the lead in the fourth with a two out rally. Wosleger would drive in the go-ahead run by connecting with an opposite field single to score Caruso. Handal would display his power again with a two run shot to put the score at 4-1. Fairfield would also load the bases in that frame, but failed to add on anymore.
After the Purple Eagles tied the game in the fifth, the Stags immediately responded with a couple of runs in the sixth.
Sean Cullen forced the issue by stealing second, forcing an errant throw from the catcher allowing Guerrera to cross the plate. Cullen would later score on a passed ball.
Fairfield's final two runs came in the eighth as they once again loaded the bases. Venuto would drive in a run with a fielder's choice and Wosleger connected on another big hit with a RBI single to center.
Bryson Cafaro picked up his fourth win of the season as he went 2.1 innings in relief in the nightcap while
Colin McVeigh recorded his first career save with two shutout innings.
The wins end the best regular season in conference history as the Stags went 32-1, including a conference record 27-game winning streak to begin the season. The Stags were rewarded with their first-ever national ranking and now sit at No. 25 in Baseball America. They also earned the program's seventh regular season championship and will host the MAAC Quarterfinals.
If the Stags do not add any other games this season, they will next prepare for the MAAC Quarterfinal starting on Friday, May 21.
