POMONA, N.Y. – The Fairfield University Baseball team was well-represented on the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) postseason teams with six student-athletes earning All-Conference honors. Ben Alekson, Matthew Bucciero, Dean Ferrara, and Luke Nomura were all named to the All-MAAC First Team while Bowen Baker and Tyler Kipp picked up spots on the All-MAAC Second Team. It is the fifth-straight season the Stags have had at least five All-Conference selections, totaling 32 during that stretch.
 
"Our three best hitters were the heartbeat of our lineup by putting up power numbers, RBI's , stolen bases and a high batting average all year," Head Coach Bill Currier said. "They were the most productive 1-2-3 in any team's order in the conference. Ben was our ace and was the most efficient and consistent starter on our staff all year. He has a professional makeup by controlling his emotions and preparedness for each start. Only a sophomore, Ben will without a doubt be pushing the career wins record in two years."
 
The three hitters representing the Stags on the All-MAAC First Team combined for 236 hits, 34 homers, and 162 RBI for the season. Ferrara led the bunch with a conference-best 92 hits placing him in the top-five in the country. He has tallied 27 multiple hit games including 14 contests with three hits or more. He is four hits shy of tying his conference and program's single season record set last season. He also leads the MAAC with 62 runs scored and places second with a .379 average.
 
Nomura finished the regular season with a team-high 14 home runs, marking the highest number of his career and the fifth-most in program history. He also added 72 hits and 50 RBI while maintaining a .323 batting average. Nomura had two or more hits in 20 games while recording at least four base hits in three contests.
 
Bucciero also had one of the best power displays on the team while crushing 13 homers and leading the squad with 60 RBI, the third most in a Stags' season. Ten of those home runs have come in MAAC play while also smashing eight long balls in his last 18 games.
 
Alekson was the ace of the Fairfield staff all season, tallying an 8-1 record with a 3.14 ERA during the regular season. His eight victories tied for the MAAC lead and the fourth-most in program history. He went a perfect 6-0 in MAAC games while holding conference opponents to a .223 batting average. He leads the MAAC with a 1.08 WHIP while placing in the top-two in wins and ERA. During the season, he was one of 52 pitchers nationwide named to the National Pitcher of the Year Watch List.
 
Aside from the four All-MAAC First Team performers, the Stags had a pair of student-athletes named to the All-Conference Second Team. Baker was a solid piece to the Fairfield starting rotation, earning a 7-1 record with a 3.44 ERA. He went six or more innings in four of his last five starts while finishing second on the team in innings pitched (68.0) and strikeouts (57).
 
Kipp was one of the most consistent Stags during the regular season, batting .311 with a .327 mark in conference games in the cleanup position. He also recorded a .415 slugging percentage and .414 on-base percentage. He drove in 39 RBI during the regular season with a conference-best six sacrifice flies, placing in the top-40 in the nation.
 
Fairfield also had 20 student-athletes named to the MAAC All-Academic team with: Alekson (Business),
Aidan Baglino (Finance), Baker (Finance (MBA), Bucciero (Finance and Business Analytics), Blake Helmstetter (Finance (MBA), Matt Kalfas (Business), Kevin Kell (Finance and Business Analytics),
Tyler Kipp (Marketing and Sports Business), Kyle Lesler (Management (MBA), Eric Ludwick (Finance),
Matt Lussier (Management), Ryan Maiorano (Business Analytics), Jake Memoli (Finance and Business Analytics), Jimmy Mulvaney (Business), Peter Phillips (Marketing (MBA), TJ Schmalzle (Finance and Business Analytics), Grant Smeltzer (Marketing), Nick Sturino (Marketing and Sports Business), Payten Wawruck (Finance), and Will Youngman (Economics) all maintaining a 3.2 GPA.
 
The Stags achieved 36 wins during the regular season, the sixth-straight full year they have posted 30 or more victories. Fairfield earned the two-seed in the MAAC Championships being held at Clover Stadium in Pomona, N.Y. Fairfield will open up MAAC Tournament play on Thursday at 11am.