POMONA, N.Y. – The Fairfield University Baseball team claimed their first Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Championship in nearly 10 years in a dramatic final with a 7-6 extra inning victory over Rider.
Nolan Colby provided the historic shot with the biggest home run of his life as he lifted a no-doubt solo shot with two outs in the top of the tenth inning. With the win, the Stags hoisted the MAAC tournament trophy for the second time in program history and will be making their third appearance in the NCAA Regionals.
"It was a great ball game back and forth with both teams deserving to win that game at some point," Head Coach
Bill Currier said. "We got some clutch hits especially with Nolan. Bucciero made some great catches down the right field line and
Kyle Lesler stepped up. All year we were resilient. We had a little lull near the end and it's good to see them pick it back up for the tournament."
Colby's dramatic blast came with two outs in the top of the tenth as he crushed a 1-1 pitch over the right field wall for his second homer of the tournament.
Blake Helmstetter would finish the championship by getting the final three outs including a pop up to
Luke Nomura to seal the title.
The Stags, who tied a single-season record with their 39th win of the year, had to fight back in the top of the ninth after surrendering a one-run lead in the eighth.
The MAAC Championship Most Outstanding Player
Matthew Bucciero would lead off the ninth with a walk and would advance to second with a stolen base.
TJ Schmalzle would get the big hit with a single up the middle, scoring Bucciero to tie the game at 6-6.
Helmstetter would bring the Stags into extra innings with a scoreless ninth, getting the MAAC Player of Year Joe Tiroly to ground into a double play to end regulation.
The Stags held a 5-2 lead in the seventh after back-to-back RBI hits with a Bucciero double and a
JP Kuczik run-scoring single.
Rider scored two times in the bottom half and then took the lead in the bottom of the eighth on a steal of home.
Fairfield scored the first three runs of the game with Bucciero plating the first run on a single up the middle in the third. Schmalzle went the opposite way for a solo shot in the fourth and
Dean Ferrara put the score at 3-0 with a single through the left side.
Kyle Lesler kept the Rider Broncs' bats quiet through his 5.2 innings of work, striking out eight and allowing just two runs.
Helmstetter would pick up the win with three innings pitched and allowing just the two runs in the eighth.
Bucciero was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player with two more hits today and driving in two runs. Kuczik, Ferrara, Nomura, and
Bowen Baker were all named to the All-Tournament team.
The Stags will now find out their Regional location on the NCAA Selection Show on Monday at noon. The program will be hosting a Watch Party at Elicit Brewing Company in Fairfield, Conn. It will be Fairfield's first appearance in the tournament since 2021.
