FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Teams can live by the long ball and die by the long ball, which is what the Fairfield University Baseball team experienced as they split a Sunday doubleheader with Monmouth with final scores of 6-5 and 3-1. The Stags pulled off a dramatic rally in the opener with Matt Venuto launching a game-tying three run homer in the ninth, but then fell victim to a late inning homer with Dixon Black launching a two-run shot in the last inning of the nightcap.
 
"There were two close games," Head Coach Bill Currier said. "Sometimes you get beat by a late inning home run and sometimes you win by it. We had both happen today. I thought we battled well, it was a good offensive and defensive game and a split is probably what we both deserved today."
 
 
Game One: Fairfield 6, Monmouth 5 (11 innings)
 
Monmouth scored three runs in the late innings, including a pair in the ninth to break a 2-2 tie and take a 5-2 advantage heading into the bottom of the ninth.
 
The Stags would then pull off one of their most dramatic come from behind wins of the season. Charlie Pagliarini would start of the inning with a single, his third hit of the game. Colin Kelly would also reach on a hit by pitch to bring the tying run to the plate. Venuto would take advantage as he launched a game-tying three-run shot over the left center field wall, knotting the game at 5-5.
 
The two teams would stay tied for two more frames with Bryson Cafaro shutting down the Hawks in extra innings, despite Monmouth stranding a pair in both frames.
 
The Stags would win the game in the bottom of the 11th with Kelly starting the rally with a one-out double. The Hawks would intentionally walk Venuto to bring Mike Caruso up to the plate who lined the 0-1 pitch into left field, scoring Kelly with the game-winning run.
 
It was the second time in the game that the Stags had to play catch up as Monmouth plated two runs in the opening inning on a two-run homer from James Harmstead.
 
After that long ball, Michael Sansone was dominant and retired 14-straight hitters not allowing another hit until the sixth. In total, Sansone tossed seven innings allowing just the two runs on four hits while striking out eight.
 
Griffin Watson helped turn the tide and momentum in the first game and did so in his very first at-bat. Watson drilled a 1-2 pitch over the left field wall to lead off the bottom of the first and giving the Stags the momentum as they trailed 2-1. His hustle was also pivotal with the run they scored in the third as he got on base with a one-out single. He would then steal second and advance to third on a wild pitch before scoring on a sacrifice fly.
 
Game Two: Monmouth 3, Fairfield 1
 
The Stags used that dramatic momentum to scratch across a run in the first inning to grab another 1-0 lead.
 
Again, it was Watson was the spark plug as he led off the bottom of the first with a single. He would advance to second on a sacrifice bunt by Mike Becchetti and reach third on a passed ball. Matt Bergevin would bring him home with a ground ball that hit off the pitcher's glove but right out to the shortstop for a 1-6-3 putout.
 
However, that would be all that Fairfield would get off Monmouth starter Rob Hensey who allowed just five hits and the unearned run in seven innings.
 
Monmouth would tie the game on a RBI single by Nick Campana in the third inning. The Hawks could have had more damage in the second but Bergevin made a great diving stop on a grounder down the line and threw to Jake Noviello who was covering to strand the bases loaded.
 
Noviello battled through his six innings but would allow just one earned run while striking out six. He would actually strand eight Monmouth runners through the first five innings.
 
With the game tied at 1-1, Dixon Black had the big hit for the Hawks in the ninth with a two-run shot.
 
Paul Catalano led the team in the nightcap with a 3-for-3 showing and accounted for three of Fairfield's five hits.
 
The Stags will be back in action on Thursday afternoon when they open up a three-game series at Quinnipiac. The series finale will be played at Alumni Diamond on Saturday at 11:30am.