FAIRFIELD, Conn. – After leading his team to their first MAAC Tournament Championship in program history, Jake Salpietro will have more than just a MAAC Tournament MVP honor to look back on as the senior was named a Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week by College Baseball News. Salpietro, who was also named the NEIBA Division I Player of the Week, becomes the first Stag to win a national award.

“Knowing this was my last tournament I just had that nothing to lose attitude,” Salpietro said. “I was able to get some good pitches and put some good swings on them and did some damage.”

“It was great that he swung the bat so well at the end of the year,” Head Coach Bill Currier said. “He was our lightning rod when we needed him the most and it's great that he played his best baseball in the tournament.”

Salpietro did indeed step up when his team needed him the most, hitting .692 (9-for-13) with seven runs scored, five RBI, and a 1.230 slugging percentage in his final MAAC tournament. Salpietro accomplished these career numbers by having the most consistent three game stretch of his career, recording three hits in each of Fairfield's three wins in the tournament.

The biggest of the nine hits came in the bottom of the sixth inning in a 5-5 tie with Canisius, when Salpietro launched a solo shot over the left center field fence for the eventual game-winning run. The homer was the tenth of the season for the right fielder, tying for second in the program's single season record book.

Four other players received the national honors with Mike Shawaryn (Maryland), Nick Banks (Texas A&M), Heath Donica (Sam Houston State), and Mike Triller (Clemson).

Because of Salpietro's heroics, the Stags will head to their first-ever NCAA Regional when they travel to Lubbock, Texas to start their Road to Omaha with a match against No. 5 Texas Tech on Friday at 3pm.