The Fairfield University Stags are riding high, after taking two of three against their conference rival Iona (6-20, 1-2) Gaels last weekend, and then going 2-0 against the Central Connecticut State Blue Devils (10-9, 3-3) and the St. John’s Red Storm (12-10) during their mid-week homestand.
Fairfield kept took that momentum into their second conference series of the year, taking two out of three from the Marist Red Foxes (10-15, 1-2).
In game one, Fairfield kept its late-game heroics going with their second comeback win in as many games, erasing a 5-0 deficit in a 9-6 victory. Junior Austin Pope started the game on the mound for the Stags, throwing 5 innings, striking out 8 giving up 6 hits, and allowing 4 earned runs. Pope gave up two home-runs that allowed Marist to jump out to a 5-0 lead. The Stags came roaring back in the 6th inning, putting up a nine spot to take a 9-5 lead, a lead they would never relinquish.
Center fielder Dan Ryan ‘20 drove in the first and last runs of the inning, as he got the scoring started with a an RBI triple and finished it with an RBI single, driving in shortstop Jack Gethings ‘19 both times. With those two runs scored Gethings, who drove in the go-ahead run with a bases loaded walk, pulled within three runs of the program record.
Senior Anthony Boselli further padded his team lead in RBIs, as he punched a single into left field, driving in two more runs after the Gethings walk. The Fairfield bullpen shut the door, allowing only two hits and giving two runs over five innings pitched, as Nick Grabek ‘21 picked up his fourth save of the season when he shut the door in the ninth inning.
In game two, Fairfield got a big time pitching performance from Michael Sansone ‘22, who continued his hot stretch of pitching with a 7 inning complete game. Sansone gave up a two-run homer to Marist catcher Gene Napolitano in the second inning, but then shut the Red Foxes down for the next five innings. Fairfield was able to tie it up at two when Giacomo Brancato ‘21 launched his second home-run of the season over the center field wall, evening the score at 2-2. Boselli, again, showed up with a big at-bat when he put Fairfield ahead with an RBI double in the third inning.
In a rain-postponed game three, the Stags got a poor start from Trey McLoughlin ‘21, leading to a 11-2 loss, snapping their six game win streak. McLoughlin pitched four and a third innings, giving up 8 runs on 10 hits, including a grand slam by Marist left fielder Frankie Gregorie that put Marist up 4-0 in the third inning.
Marist starter Alex Pansini picked up the win on seven and two thirds innings pitched and only giving up two runs. The Fairfield bullpen did their job, giving up zero runs over the final five and two thirds innings.
On a brighter note, Gethings scored his 140th career run, placing him third all time in program history, and pulling him to within two of the program record.
Fairfield will look to keep the momentum going this week with games against in-state rivals, the UCONN Huskies (17-9, 4-2), and the Yale Bulldogs (10-13, 4-2), and then will continue conference play with a weekend series on the road against the Siena Saints (7-16, 3-3).
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