FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield University Baseball team split a Tuesday doubleheader against crosstown rivals Sacred Heart following a walk off win in the opener and a narrow defeat in the nightcap.
Dean Ferrara and
Nick Sturino led the Stags with four hits on the day.
Game One: Fairfield 7, Sacred Heart 6
The Stags had to fight back from a 6-0 deficit in the first game and accomplished that feat by putting up a six-spot in the fifth to tie the game.
The first five batters reached in the frame with
Luke Nomura getting the Stags on the board with a RBI single.
Zach Selinger followed by working a bases loaded walk and putting the score at 6-2.
Matt Bucciero would have the biggest hit of the inning as he lined a two-run single to the opposite field and cut the Fairfield deficit to 6-4.
Tyler Kipp would lift a sacrifice fly to the edge of the warning track to make it a one-run game. After a Sturino double,
TJ Schmalzle put the ball in play forcing an error by the Sacred Heart infield and tying the game.
The Stags would load the bases in the bottom of the seventh – the last frame of the contest – with nobody out. Kipp and Sturino would reach with singles to the outfield and Schmalzle walked to set up for the walk off. Pinch hitter
JP Kuczik grounded the ball to the infield and an errant throw scored
Payten Wawruck who came in to run and gave the Stags a 7-6 win.
Sturino led the Stags in the opener with three hits.
The Fairfield bullpen allowed the Stags to rally with
Kevin Kell,
Peter Phillips, and
Jack Erbeck combining for 4.2 innings while allowing just one run. Kell threw the longest of the relievers with 2.2 innings while striking out six, including striking out the side in the fifth.
Game Two: Sacred Heart 4, Fairfield 3
The Stags, playing as the road team, would grab a 3-1 lead following home runs by Sturino and Kuczik in the fourth.
That advantage would last until the bottom of the fifth when Sacred Heart tied the game on a Ronan Donahue two-run shot.
The Pioneers would grab the lead in the last of the sixth on a ground rule double by Joey Skarad.
In their last at-bats, the Stags loaded the bases with one out following walks to
Ethan Hibbard and Nomura surrounding a single by Ferrara.
With the tying run at third,
Zach Selinger hit a 0-1 pitch hard down the third base line, but the Pioneer third baseman was able to collect the hard-hit ball on the back hand and turn the 5-5-3 double play to end the threat.
Ferrara led the Stags in the nightcap with three hits with Kuczik also recording a multiple hit game.
Fairfield returns to Don and Chris Cook Field this weekend when they host conference foe Siena for a three game series starting on Friday at 3pm.
