FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield University Baseball team combined to out-score Siena 22-4 as they swept the Sunday doubleheader in dominating fashion with final scores of 10-4 and 12-0. With the two victories, the Stags complete the sweep of their first MAAC series of the year and improve their overall record to 12-9.
On the mound, starters
Colin McVeigh and
Peter Ostensen combined to allow just six hits in 12.0 innings with Ostensen holding the Saints to just a single in his five innings of work.
"I thought McVeigh did a good job battling," Head Coach
Bill Currier said. "He didn't have his best start but battled and kept them earning their hits. He did a pretty good job getting through seven."
At the plate, the Stags combined for three home runs with
Noah Lucier,
Mike Handal, and
Nick Sturino all crushing long balls.
"Hitters did a good job of staying patient," Coach Currier said. "They saw a pretty good freshman pitcher in Bates and stayed patient and stayed after him. I think the second and third time through the order we got better and did a little more damage later in the game."
Game One: Fairfield 10, Siena 4
The Stags held a slim 4-2 lead through six innings against Siena freshman starter Ryan Bates who struck out six in six innings.
Fairfield would strike for two runs in the first on RBI singles by
Mike Becchetti and Lucier. Fairfield would then display their power accounting for their next two runs with solo homers by Handal in the fourth and Lucier in the sixth.
The Stags would then get to the Siena bullpen, loading the bases with nobody out in the seventh.
Matt Venuto would bring across a run with a RBI single through the left side and Lucier would follow with his third RBI of the game with a sacrifice fly to center.
The squad would bring home four in the eighth with
Charlie Pagliarini highlighting the frame with a two-run single up the middle.
McVeigh would battle through a career-long seven innings of work allowing five hits while striking out seven. He would allow just two runs on a RBI groundout and a solo homer in the sixth.
Jake Memoli would follow with a scoreless eighth and
Blake Helmstetter closed the game with two strikeouts in the ninth.
Game Two: Fairfield 12, Siena 0
It was all Fairfield in the nightcap as they scored 12 runs in the first four innings, en-route to a 12-0 win in seven innings.
The Stags success came from good baserunning from Handal as he went from first to third on a passed ball. That allowed him to score on a Pagliarini stolen base.
Matt Bucciero had the first run-scoring hit of the game with a single in the first.
Becchetti drove the ball the other way for a RBI double in the second, extending his hit streak to 13-straight games.
The Stags' big inning came in the third as they put across seven runs. Lucier would start the scoring with a RBI double, his fourth RBI of the doubleheader. Sturino, Pagliarini, and Handal all followed with run-scoring singles and
Matt Bergevin capped the frame with a two-run double.
Sturino would put the exclamation mark on the contest with a two-run homer in the fourth.
That was more than enough run support for Ostensen who cruised through five innings, allowing just a ground ball single in the second. He would strike out four without walking a batter and needed just 66 pitches to get the victory.
Billy Fitzgerald and
Bowen Baker finished the game with a scoreless inning apiece.
Lucier was the lone Stag to have multi-hits in both contests as he went 4-for-6 with two runs scored and four RBI. Sturino would go 3-for-5 with four runs scored and three RBI.
The Stags have now hit 35 home runs, which is already tied for the sixth-most in a single season with over 30 games left to be played.
Fairfield will continue their homestand when they welcome St. John's to Alumni Diamond for a midweek contest on Tuesday at 3pm.
