KENNESAW, Ga. – The Fairfield University Baseball team held early leads in both ends of the doubleheader at Kennesaw State but saw each lead fade away as they fell 4-3 and 8-1 on Saturday. The series loss snaps a streak of 11-straight series wins for the Stags.
Game One: Owls 4, Fairfield 3
Mike Becchetti opened the scoring for the Stags in the opener with a two out solo homer in the third, his second of the year.
Becchetti was one of the few Stags to find success against John Bezdicek who struck out nine and allowed just four hits in his five innings of work.
The biggest moment of the game came in the fifth as the Owls threatened on a couple occasions. Fairfield was able to save a run as right fielder
Matt Zaffino gunned down the runner trying to score on a single. The Owls would still get two runners in scoring position with two outs and Zac Corbin was able to come up with the big hit to drive them both in with a double.
Fairfield had one final rally and it came in the eighth as
Colin Kelly and Becchetti led off the frame with a walk.
Matt Bergevin was able to plate one of those runs with a single and
Matt Venuto would follow with another RBI single.
The Owls were able to get out of the inning, stranding the tying run at third with a strikeout.
Bergevin was the lone Stag with a multi-hit game as he picked up a pair.
Peter Ostensen and
Jack Anderson combined for 2.2 scoreless innings. Starter
Jake Noviello struck out four with just one walk in his 5.1 frames
Game Two: Owls 9, Fairfield 1 (7)
Kelly would once again give the Stags an early lead as he drove in
Ryan Strollo with a RBI single, the first of his three hits in the top of the third.
Fairfield held that lead for more than midway through the seven-inning game until the Owls tied the game in the fourth with a Hanson double.
The Owls kept that momentum into the next frame, plating seven runs to open up the game.
Fairfield tallied six hits and left six runners on in the seven-inning game. Fairfield would have runners on in the first five innings starting with a Kelly single and a
Mike Caruso double in the first.
The Stags will continue their season-opening 20-game road swing and face Saint Joseph's for a three-game series starting Friday at 3pm.
