HARRISONBURG, Va. – The Fairfield University Baseball team dropped a 13-6 decision in their series opener at James Madison. Dean Ferrara continued his hot start with a 4-for-4 showing to raise his season average to .586 while also scoring and driving in a pair of runs. Kyle Lesler led the pen with three hitless innings.
 
Sean Meth started the scoring in the top of the first as he lined the payoff pitch to left to plate Ferrara and put the score at 1-0.
 
That lead was very short lived as James Madison tallied six runs in their first at-bats to take the lead at 6-1.
 
Ferrara got a run back for the Stags in the second with an infield single to bring in Nick Sturino.
 
After their six-run outburst in the first, the Stags held the Dukes to just one run over the next six frames coming off a safety squeeze in the third. Lesler was at the forefront of that pitching with three hitless and shutout innings.
 
The Stags would cut their deficit to just one-run by scoring in three-straight innings starting in the fifth. Luke Nomura lined a single up the middle on an 0-2 pitch to start the rally. Ferrara brought in his second run of the day with a sacrifice fly in the sixth while Matthew Bucciero and TJ Schmalzle added runs in the seventh.
 
JMU would put the game out of reach with a five-spot in the eighth.
 
Three Stags tallied multi-hit games led by Ferrara's four. Sturino added three on a 3-for-3 afternoon and Meth picked up a pair.
 
The two teams will play the middle game on Saturday at 2pm.