FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield University Baseball team scored three runs when they were down to their final out in the bottom of the ninth inning and brought the tying run to the plate but could not come all the way back as they fell to the UMass Minutemen 10-7 at Alumni Diamond on Tuesday. Evan Berta and Griffin Watson brought home the runs in the final inning with Watson leading the team with four hits.
 
The Stags allowed four home runs which accounted for seven of UMass runs with six of those being plated in the first three innings. UMass clubbed three home runs during that early span to grab a 6-0 lead.
 
Fairfield would cut that deficit in half with a three-spot in the third with Colin Kelly starting with a two-run single. Matt Venuto would follow as he lined a pitch to deep center to plate Kelly and put the score at 6-3.
 
The Minutemen would open up a 10-4 advantage heading into the bottom of the ninth but the Stags would not quit. After UMass turned a double play and the Stags had two outs with nobody on, they started to rally. Kelly would work out a walk and then Venuto and Mike Caruso would reach as both players were hit by pitches to load the bases. Berta had the first big hit as he singled through the right side to drive in two. Watson would line a pitch into centerfield where the centerfielder attempts a diving catch but dropped the ball. Caruso would score but UMass would execute a perfect relay throw to gun out the runner at home to end the game.
 
Fairfield tallied 13 hits with seven of those extra base knocks. Watson led the bunch with a 4-for-6 showing and three doubles. Kelly and Mike Becchetti also recorded multi-hit games.
 
Billy Fitzgerald and Emmett Tolis combined for three scoreless innings to give the Stags a chance in the later innings.
 
Fairfield will turn their attention back to MAAC play when they host a showdown with Monmouth with the three-game series starting on Friday at 3pm.