FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield University Baseball team slugged a season-high six home runs in an 18-2 rout of Central Connecticut State to open up their week. Nick Sturino provided the biggest hit with a grand slam in the first inning, to start his six RBI night. Matt Bergevin, Luke Nomura, JP Kuzcik, Matt Bucciero, and Payten Wawruck all went deep for the Stags.
 
"It was the first real warm day we've had to play and the guys took advantage of it," Head Coach Bill Currier said. "We had some good barrel contact from a lot of different people. To get a lot of people in the lineup and the guys off the bench hit the ball well. It was a good day all around for offense and the pitching. It was good to see success from those who haven't been out there in a while."
 
Despite the 16-run victory, the Stags had to fight back from a 1-0 deficit and they answered with a six-spot in the first. Matt Bucciero lined a two-run double to center, but the biggest hit of the frame came from Sturino who launched the first pitch he saw over the right center field wall for a grand slam.
 
The Stags would follow that up with a Kuczik two-run homer in the third and a Nomura solo shot in the fourth.
 
Sturino completed his six RBI game with a two-run single in the fifth to put the Stags up by double-digits.
 
Bergevin launched his 12th homer of the season with a two-run shot in the fifth, to cap another six-run inning. Bucciero crushed his sixth of the spring with a solo shot to left center in the sixth. Wawruck capped the home run barrage with a solo homer in the eighth.
 
Bucciero led the Stags offensively with four runs scored and tied for a team-high with three hits.
 
On the mound, Ben Alekson recorded his second collegiate win by going five economical innings allowing just a first inning run and tossing 66 pitches.
 
Three of the four Fairfield relievers pitched hitless innings with Peter Phillips and Ryan Maiorano combining for three strikeouts in their shutout frames. Aidan Colagrande finished the game with a 1-2-3 ninth which featured a pair of strikeouts.
 
The Stags are back in action at Don and Chris Cook Field tomorrow when they host UMass at 2:30pm