GREENSBORO, N.C. – Dean Ferrara and
Luke Nomura combined for five hits and seven RBI but the Fairfield University Baseball team lost their two-run lead in the bottom of the ninth inning and eventually fell to UNC Greensboro 10-9 in 10 innings.
Ferrara set a career-high with three hits while Nomura tied his personal-best with a pair of base knocks. Nomura broke a 1-1 tie in the second with a two-run single with the bases loaded to put the Stags up 3-1.
Fairfield would add to that lead in the fifth with Ferrara tallying a RBI infield single.
The Spartans would record the next four runs of the game to grab a 5-4 advantage before the Stags would cash in with their biggest inning, plating five runs in the sixth. All five runs scored with two outs, started by another clutch hit by Nomura, a two-run double. Ferrara would cap the two-out rally with a two-run triple down the right field line, his first three-bagger of his career.
The Stags tried to hold on to a 9-7 advantage in the bottom of the ninth but loaded the bases with nobody out. One run would score on a wild pitch to cut the Fairfield lead to 9-8. The Stags intentionally walked the next batter to bring up former Stag
Matt Venuto who grounded into a double play, but plated the tying run.
Peter Ostensen would force extras by striking out Jake Ogden to end the inning.
The Stags threatened in the top of the tenth with a single by
Nick Sturino and a walk to
Ryan Strollo, but the Spartan right-hander Luke Thomas got out of the jam with a double play.
After getting the first two runners on, Brantley Truitt walked off with a run scoring single up the middle.
Six different Stags accounted for the team's 11 hits with Ferrara, Nomura,
Ethan Hibbard, and Sturino all tallying multiple base knocks. Hibbard reached base three times with two doubles and a walk while scoring a pair of runs.
Out of the leadoff spot,
Paul Catalano also scored a pair of runs and also drove in a run while also recording a double.
The Stags and the Spartans will play in the middle game tomorrow at 2pm.
