FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Luke Nomura rolled an opposite field single in the bottom of the 10th scoring
Nolan Colby with the game-winning run as the Stags won the rubber game 2-1 over Quinnipiac, splitting Sunday's doubleheader. Quinnipiac took the first game 11-5 before Nomura's heroics in the nightcap which improved Fairfield's MAAC record to 18-3, keeping them in first place in the standings. The Stags also clinched their 26th-straight conference series win dating back to the regular season finale of 2019.
"It was a well-pitched, good defensive game with a few guys on both sides making some great defensive plays to keep runs off the board," Head Coach
Bill Currier said. "It came down to who was going to get the big hit with guys in scoring position to win the game. Proud of the guys for hanging tough and still grinding it out for a win in extra innings."
Game Two: Fairfield 2, Quinnipiac 1 F/10
Nomura had the biggest hit of the day with his opposite field single in the bottom of the 10th, sending the Stags' bench into a frenzy. Colby started off the extra frame by working out a walk and would be sacrificed to second by
JP Kuczik. After an intentional walk to
Dean Ferrara, Nomura poked a 1-1 pitch through the right side to score Colby and clinch the series win.
Before that single, the only Stags' scoring offense came off the bat of
TJ Schmalzle who snuck a ball over the left field wall right by the foul pole for a solo shot in the fourth.
Bowen Baker made that run hold up during his six shutout frames as he allowed just four hits while striking out five.
Matthew Grabmann allowed the tying solo shot in the seventh but would also induce a crucial 4-6-3 double play to end the jam.
Jimmy Mulvaney tossed two solid scoreless innings to reach extra innings, getting a 1-2-3 inning with two strikeouts in the ninth.
Ferrara would make a spectacular play to start the tenth as he took a backhand down the third base line and gunned down the speedy Johnny Knox for the key first out.
Blake Helmstetter would retire the next two hitters on two fly outs.
The victory put the Stags record at 18-3 in the conference and also sealed their 26th-straight conference series win.
Game One: Quinnipiac 11, Fairfield 5
The Stags could not solve the Quinnipiac pitching duo of Mike Poncini and Andrew Rubayo as they combined for eight innings allowing just one run.
That lone run came in the fifth as Colby scored on a wild pitch.
The Bobcats showed their power with five runs in the fifth which included home runs from Sebastian Mueller and Alex Irizarry.
Fairfield found some offensive momentum late sending 10 men to the plate in the ninth scoring four runs on four hits. Ferrara brought in two with a single up the middle and
Tyler Kipp added another run with a single to left.
The Stags will hit the road for four-straight starting with a midweek visit to Stony Brook on Tuesday at 3pm.
