HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – The Fairfield University Baseball team tied the game in the top of the ninth inning as a Mike Becchetti two-run homer knotted the score at 10-10, but the reigning CAA Champions, Hofstra Pride scored the game-winning run on a balk in the bottom half of the inning to take an 11-10 decision over the Stags. Fairfield also grabbed the lead in the top of the eighth with three runs, but could not keep the lead.
 
The Stags were trailing 7-5 heading into the eighth inning but would then have their first late rally. The reigning MAAC Rookie of the Week, Matt Bucciero brought home the first run of the frame as he took an 0-2 pitch the other way for a RBI single. Ethan Hibbard would follow with a RBI groundout to tie the game at 7-7. AJ Donofrio would come in to pinch hit and converted the RBI opportunity with a run scoring single up the middle.
 
Hofstra would get all three runs back in the bottom half of the frame as they took advantage of a pair of Stag errors.
 
That would set up more Stag heroics in the ninth. Noah Lucier would lead off the frame by taking the first pitch into right for a single. After a fly out, the reigning MAAC Player of the Week, Becchetti would launch his 12th home run of the season, a game-tying two-run shot to left.
 
With the score deadlocked at 10, Hofstra would end up scoring the walk-off run with just one hit. Michael Florides ripped a one-out single and advanced to second on a passed ball. Drew Palmer would walk setting runners to first and second. On a double steal attempt, Hibbard was able to throw out the lead runner at third for the second out. However, Palmer would steal third and then score the game-winning run on a balk.
 
The Stags scored the first two runs of the game in the first on RBI singles from Mike Handal and Bucciero. It was the eighth-straight game that Bucciero has gotten a hit and drove in a run. Handal would add another RBI single in the sixth.
 
Griffin Watson, Becchetti, Handal, and Bucciero all picked up two hits in the game. Becchetti would reach base four times in five plate appearances and would score all four times.
 
Jake Memoli and Blake Helmstetter both recorded scoreless innings in relief.
 
The Stags will return to Alumni Diamond for a key three-game conference series against Niagara starting on Friday at 3pm.