HARRISONBURG, Va. – Luke Nomura crushed two home runs and scored five times as the Fairfield University Baseball team slugged their way past James Madison with a 14-2 victory to even the series at a game apiece. Sean Meth also found the power bat with a homer and five RBI while TJ Schmalzle also drove in three with a pair of hits. On the mound, Ben Alekson tossed six scoreless frames allowing just four hits and striking out three in his first win of the spring.

"Luke and Sean had good swings on balls today to lead our offensive attack," Head Coach Bill Currier said. "It was good to see our reliever finish a good game pitched by our starter Ben Alekson."
 
The Stags plated the first 13 runs of the game, starting with a Nomura solo shot in the second. The junior would also cap a three-run third inning with a two-run homer to left.
 
Fairfield scored four more times in the fifth starting with a Meth RBI single up the middle. Billy Sullivan and Schmalzle would work out back-to-back four pitch walks with the bases loaded to put the score at 7-0. The wildness continued for the Dukes as Tyler Kipp scored on a wild pitch.
 
The Stags followed that frame up with a five spot in the sixth highlighted by a Meth three-run homer. Schmalzle would follow with a two-run single and give the Stags a 13-0 advantage.
 
Alekson would baffle the Dukes all day in six solid innings allowing just four hits while striking out three. He needed just 88 pitches to get through his outing and pick up his first win of the year. Peter Phillips followed with two innings in relief and Will Fox closed the door in the ninth.
 
Four Stags tallied multi-hit games, led by Nomura's four. Meth followed with three including a game-high five RBI. Kipp and Schmalzle both picked up a pair.
 
The two teams will battle in the rubber game tomorrow at noon.