The Fairfield University baseball team is set to kick off a three-game MAAC series this weekend at Don and Chris Cook Field against Rider University.
The series is a rematch of last year’s MAAC Championship Series, which Fairfield won 7-6 after then-first-year Nolan Colby’s walk-off home run in the 10th inning.
The Stags are now 14-12 in regular-season play and 9-3 in the MAAC and are looking to carry their momentum into this weekend’s series against Rider (17-7, 12-3) after taking two out of three last weekend at Merrimack. The Stags currently sit three games behind Rider in MAAC play, and with the back end of the season starting, this is a big series for the Stags to prove why they deserve the top spot in the conference.
The heart of the Stags’ offense is no secret.
Senior outfielder Matt Bucciero was the 2026 MAAC Preseason Player of the Year and has been on fire since the start of the season. Bucciero is batting .313 with eight home runs and 11 stolen bases in 26 games. His 1.092 OPS leads the team and makes him one of the most dangerous hitters in the conference.
Not far behind him are senior shortstop Luke Nomura, who leads the team with 27 RBIs while batting .287 with six home runs, and senior center fielder TJ Schmazle, who leads the Stags in runs scored with 31 while batting .284. The three seniors also show off on the base-running side, with 33 stolen bases combined.
On the mound, junior Ben Alekson has been the ace for the Stags. Alekson carries a 1.85 ERA across 43.2 innings pitched with 41 strikeouts. Sophomore Brendon Miller has also emerged as a reliable starter with a 3.16 ERA across 31.1 innings pitched and 39 strikeouts. Junior closer Ryan Maiorano has been one of the Stags’ and MAAC’s best relief arms, converting six saves with a 2.30 ERA in 12 appearances. Another nearly unhittable closing pitcher for the Stags is sophomore Nick Kelly. Kelly has just one earned run and an ERA of 0.79 over 11 innings pitched.
On the other side of the diamond, Rider is led offensively by redshirt junior Kyle Neri, who is batting .398 with 31 RBIs and an OPS of 1.040. Another slugger for the Broncs is senior outfielder Erich Hartmann, who is batting .363 with 25 RBIs and a .945 OPS. The power-hitting duo stands to pose the biggest threat to the Stag defense.
Moving onto the mound for the Broncs, they are paced by senior PJ Craig, who leads the team with a 3.30 ERA across 43.2 innings pitched and 44 strikeouts. Behind Craig is senior Christian Aiello with a 3.68 ERA across 29.1 innings pitched and 36 strikeouts.
With last year’s championship still fresh in each team’s mind and the No. 1 seed in the MAAC still up for grabs, the stakes are very high for the Stags this weekend. Senior Senior outfielder Payten Wawruk echoed that sentiment, saying, “Both of us coming off a winning weekend were preparing for a competitive game that takes us back to the MAAC championship [like] last year, it’s going to be a great series, and it comes down to who wants it more.”
A 3-0 sweep in favor of the Stags would not only tighten the race for first but also reinforce Fairfield’s position as a team to be reckoned with heading into the final stretch of the season. With a veteran core leading the way offensively, the Stags will look to take down the Broncs on their home turf and set the tone for the back half of the season.
