Courtesy of GoGriffs.com
FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Canisius College baseball team went toe-to-toe with the other team tied for first in the conference on Saturday, as it split a doubleheader with the Fairfield Stags. The big MAAC series took place in Fairfield, Conn., as the Stags took game one 5-3, while the Blue and Gold matched the win with a 12-3 victory of its own.
GAME ONE:
A strong start helped lift to the Fairfield Stags to ta 5-3 victory over the Blue and Gold on Saturday, in game one of the doubleheader. The Griffs attempted a comeback in the ninth inning, pushing one run across the plate but it was unable to make up the difference.
The Stags combined for five runs in the first two innings of the contest, and chased Canisius starter J.P. Stevenson after 1.1 innings of work, as he yielded four hits and four earned runs, and fanned two in the loss.
Mike Elwood took over and pitched the rest of the way, throwing 6.2 innings, and surrendered just six hits and one run, and struck out four batters.
The Fairfield starter John Signore earned the win, and worked an effective six innings, allowing five hits and two runs (one earned). He also fanned three in the effort.
Fairfield kept the Griffs off balance offensively for most of the afternoon, allowing just nine hits total. Fresh off his MAAC Player of the Week award, Jake Lumley led the way with a trio of hits for Canisius. Lumley and teammate Mark McKenna each tallied an RBI in the loss.
With the score 5-2 and two outs in the ninth inning, the Griffs made Fairfield work for its final out. Joseph Preziuso doubled down the left field line, followed by a Anthony Massicci single. With two aboard, Lumley singled through the right side to bring in Preziuso. Looking to try to keep the rally going, Liam Wilson came up short with a groundout to the shortstop to end the game.
GAME TWO:
In game two, the Griffs had back-to-back six-run innings in the fourth and fifth frames to blow the game open.
Starter Nolan Hunt appeared to be a bad-luck loser, as the squad struggled to produce runs through three innings, however he was strong throughout the game, going six innings, and allowing seven hits and three earned runs, while striking-out for in the win.
Andrew Sipowicz threw the final frame, walking one but getting out of the inning unscathed.
Christ Conley led the team in hits, recoding four of the team’s 12 in the game. The middle of the order did the most damage, as Ryan Stekl and Wilson each had three RBI in the team’s win.
The turning point in the contest was the fourth inning, when the squad manufactured a four hit six run rally to take control of the game.
Canisius continued to add to its lead in the top of the fifth, as Massicci singled through the right side to drive in Preziuso. Wilson singled to left field, driving in Massicci and Cyrus Senior. Stekl also got in the action, doubling to left center to bring home Wilson and Lumely. Conley capped the scoring with a single to right field, to score Stekl.
Fairfield notched two runs in the bottom of the fifth, but were unable to make up the difference, as the Griffs won 12-3.
The series rubber match is tomorrow at noon, as the two squads look to take sole possession of first place in the conference.
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