TEANECK, N.J. – The Fairfield University Baseball team swept a Saturday doubleheader and the series at Manhattan as they took down the Jaspers with final scores of 6-5 and 12-4. Dean Ferrara led the Stags with four hits in the twin bill, extending his hitting streak to 25-straight games and tying the program's all-time record.
 
"We had to grind it out offensively where runs didn't come easy for our hitters," Head Coach Bill Currier said. "The first two games with close scores was good to see how our pitchers and defense handled close conference games. We received good starting pitching in the series with only a couple poor innings given up, but on the most part solid on the mound."
 
Game One: Fairfield 6, Manhattan 5
 
Starting pitcher Bowen Baker struck out 10 Jaspers while throwing exactly 100 pitches in picking up his second win of the season. The left-hander kept the Jaspers off the scoreboard for the first five innings allowing just three hits and striking out nine over that stretch.
 
The Stags built Bowen a 6-0 lead with three runs in both the third and sixth innings. Fairfield started off the third by reaching on back-to-back errors followed by a Matthew Bucciero walk to load the bases. Tyler Kipp would work out a walk to break the scoreless tie and Ferrara would then score on a wild pitch. Payten Wawruck capped the scoring in the third with a RBI groundout.
 
Fairfield doubled their lead with three runs in the sixth, all coming off one swing of the bat as Luke Nomura crushed a three-run shot to put the score at 6-0.
 
All the trouble Bowen ran into came in the bottom half of the sixth as the Jaspers plated five runs on six hits.
 
With the slim one-run lead, the Fairfield bullpen closed the door with Matthew Grabmann tossing two inninings in relief and Kevin Kell earning his fourth save of the season with a scoreless ninth.
 
 
Game Two: Fairfield 12, Manhattan 4
 
The Stags scored in each of the first three innings, highlighted by a seven-spot in the second to complete the doubleheader and series sweep.
 
Liam McIlroy, TJ Schmalzle, and Nolan Colby all reached base to start the frame, loading the bases for Ferrara who plated a run with a RBI single, while tying the program's all-time record and extending his hitting streak to 25-games.
 
Bucciero would add a RBI single while Nick Sturino worked out a bases loaded walk to plate another run. Billy Sullivan brought home another with a RBI groundout and McIlroy, who started the inning, added a sacrifice fly.
 
Going against his former team, Kyle Lesler picked up the win with five innings while allowing three runs. Blake Helmstetter, Will Fox, and Peter Phillips all added scoreless frames in relief.
 
Fairfield will now put their nine-game winning streak on the line in another mid-week game at Central Connecticut State on Tuesday at 3pm.