Fairfield University baseball (23-15, 11-4) went 4-1 this week, going 2-0 in their mid-week games against the Fordham University Rams (23-18, 8-7) and the Sacred Heart University Pioneers (13-22, 6-6).
Fairfield took two out of three from the Monmouth University Hawks (15-23-1, 5-7) in their weekend series. On Friday, April 19, Fairfield took game one of the three game series, 6-2 behind a strong performance by starting pitcher, Austin Pope ‘20.
Pope threw seven innings, allowed only three hits, one earned, and struck out five. Eli Oliphant ‘20 closed the door with his third save of the season, finishing the game with two shutout innings.
Fairfield took the lead when third basemen Tom Ryan ‘19 doubled, driving in Dylan Reynolds ‘20. Ryan added his second RBI of the day with a fielder’s choice, extending the Fairfield lead to three runs, 5-2. Fairfield’s win streak came to an end in the second game of the Friday doubleheader, as Monmouth came out on top, winning 7-4. Monmouth got out to a 7-0 lead, behind home runs from left fielder Collin McCreary and first baseman Clay Koinecki. Fairfield was then tasked with working their way back, and was able to cut the lead to 7-4 when shortstop Jack Gethings ‘19 doubled and sent leadoff hitter Tim Zeng ‘19 home.
After five hits in game one, Gethings tallied two more in the second game, giving him seven total hits for the day. Fairfield starter Michael Sansone ‘22 threw two and two-thirds innings, allowing four earned runs on six hits.
The Fairfield bullpen tried to keep the Stags in the game, only allowing two earned runs over the remaining five and a third innings, but the Fairfield offense was unable to come all the way back from the 7-0 hole.
In the deciding third game of the series, Fairfield came out on top with a 7-1 victory behind a gem from starter Trey McLoughlin ‘21. McLoughlin threw a complete game two hitter, and only allowed one earned run while striking out nine.
A two-run second inning and a four-run fourth inning powered the Fairfield offense. Justin Guerrera ‘22 drove home three runs on the day, two of those coming off of a ground rule double that extended the Fairfield lead from 2-0 to 4-0. This series win is Fairfield’s fifth straight Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) series win, as they improve their conference record to 11-4 on the season.
The Stags will travel across town to face the Sacred Heart Pioneers (13-22, 6-6) on Tuesday, April 23, and then will go on the road to face the Stony Brook Seawolves (22-12, 11-4).
Starting on Saturday, April 27, Fairfield will take on the conference leading Canisius College Griffins (19-18, 12-3) where two of the best teams in the MAAC will face off.
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