Youth is a major obstacle the baseball team is attempting to overcome this year. One way will be through its veteran pitching staff led by junior Tom Maisano.
Maisano emerged as the Stags top pitcher last spring after beginning the season as the team’s No. 2 pitcher on the mound.
The 6-foot-1 right-hander from Farmingdale, N.Y. has carried that success to this year and is ready for the challenge.
“For the most part the two years have been similar,” Maisano said. “I feel that I’ve gained a lot more experience over the last year and try to carry that out to the mound each start, and try to improve each time.”
Head coach John Slosar agreed and said Maisano has developed into a smart veteran pitcher for the Stags.
“I expect a quality start from him every time out. He gives us a chance, and puts us in a position to win,” Slosar said. “He has a year of success under his belt. He’s a veteran pitcher now. Even if he doesn’t have his best stuff, he knows how to pitch and win.”
Maisano credits his participation in the New England Collegiate League, where he was named an all-star last summer.
“Playing ball in the summer is a great experience. I played in a competitive wood-bat summer league last summer and benefited a lot from it,” Maisano said. “You play with and against some of the best ball players in the country. The good competition is the only way you can get better as a player.”
Fairfield’s youth this year has been counteracted by the trio of Maisano, Paul Gorra, ’03, and Pablo Tamayo, ’04, that have bolstered the Stags’ pitching rotation.
Maisano has a 1-1 record with a 5.19 E.R.A. Maisano has struck out 17 batters while walking nine in 26 innings on the mound this year.
Gorra is 1-2 with a 3.63 E.R.A. The 6-foot-2 right-hander has struck out 19 batters in 22.1 innings pitched.
Tamayo has struggled to a 0-3 record this year, but has struck out 14 batters in 18 innings.
Despite the strong pitching efforts, the team has had sporadic results so far this year due in large part to its youth, according to Slosar.
“Youth has been a very big factor. We don’t know what to expect day-to-day,” Slosar said. “Some days, especially if we get some momentum, we get confidence going. When things go bad, it’s usually one or two big innings, and everything snowballs from there. It’s hard to tell what we’re going to get day-to-day, and that’s largely because of our inexperience.”
After getting swept in the team’s three-game MAAC-series opener against Siena two weeks ago, the Stags came back to win two of three games last weekend from Niagara.
The Stags improved to 4-11-1 and 2-4 in the MAAC by winning the rubber game from Niagara on Sunday. Mike Wray, ’04, went 2-for-3 and scored two runs, and Greg Batista went 1-for-3 with two R.B.I.
Gorra picked up the win on the mound after pitching 8.2 innings and giving up six hits, while striking out six.
Fairfield won the first game of the series 12-6, behind Greg Leaver’s 2-for-3 performance at the plate and two R.B.I.
Maisano struck out six and walked three to pick up the win for Fairfield.
“In both games we came out and swung the bats,” Maisano said. “The difference between the two series’ was that against Siena, the ball just didn’t seem to find any holes out there. Our defense was also much more solid against Niagara.”
Slosar said the Stags improved in all areas of their game to take the series from a formidable opponent in Niagara.
“We improved in all facets of the game,” Slosar said. “Our pitching, hitting and defense were all much better.”
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