FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Ben Alekson provided seven strong innings on the mound and five different Stags scored a run as the Fairfield University Baseball team shutdown Merrimack with a 9-1 victory in the series opener. Three different Stags recorded multiple hit games while Luke Nomura led the squad with three runs scored. The win is Fairfield's 27th this season and improves their league-leading record to 14-2.
 
"Ben did a good job holding them down until we could finally string some hits together," Head Coach Bill Currier said. "We took advantage of some miscues which helped us in the big inning. The relief pitchers came in and did a pretty good job keeping them down and letting us get a couple of kids into the game."
 
Alekson was the focal point on the mound, allowing just three hits in his seven scoreless frames while tying a career-high with eight strikeouts. He ran into one jam in the fourth as Merrimack loaded the bases on one out, but he would get out of the inning with back-to-back strikeouts the last one also being the 100th of his career.
 
He would also get two ground ball double plays to end the second and sixth innings. He would end his outing by getting a ground out to third on his 100th pitch of the afternoon.
 
On the offensive side, Tyler Kipp led the Stags with three RBI including the game's first tally in the first by scoring Nomura on a ground out.
 
The Stags picked up a pair of runs in the fifth and sixth innings to put the score at 5-0. Matthew Bucciero lined a single that allowed Dean Ferrara to score and beat the throw home. Kipp followed with a sacrifice fly.
 
In the sixth, Nomura came up with the bases loaded and lifted a sacrifice fly to the second baseman who also ran into the fence, plating Sean Meth. Fairfield entered the game leading the MAAC and ranking seventh in the nation in sacrifice flies.
 
Fairfield's biggest inning came with a four-spot in the eighth which was led off by a TJ Schmalzle homer. Nomura brought home Ferrara on a fielding error and Kipp drew a bases loaded walk in the frame.
 
Ferrara increased his MAAC lead with two more hits to put his season total to 65. He also recorded his 20th multi-hit game of his career. Nomura and Bucciero followed with two hits apiece with Bucciero also drawing a pair of walks. Meth reached base three times on three free passes.
 
The two teams will play the middle game of the series tomorrow at 1pm.