Box Score 

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Fairfield was stopped by a red-hot Florida Gulf Coast University team as the Stags fell, 9-2, to the Eagles this evening at Swanson Field. It was the fifth straight win for FGCU which improves to 8-1 on the season. With the loss, the Stags fall to 2-5.

Senior Brian Rudolph (Washington Twp., N.J.) went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored while first baseman Mike Joyce (Smithtown, N.Y.) went 2-for-3 on the night.

Florida Gulf Coast was ahead 2-0 after the third inning but broke the game open in the bottom of the fourth frame with a seven run effort. The Eagles' D.J. Bissell accounted for four of the runs as he hit a grand slam off of sophomore Kevin Fico (Stamford, Conn.). Fico (0-2) was tagged with the loss after allowing nine runs on nine hits in four innings of work.

Fairfield relievers Rick Piccirillo (Trumbull, Conn.), Mike Rubertone (Manhasset, N.Y.), and Rob Gariano (Nutley, N.J.) held FGCU to just one hit over the final four scoreless innings of play.

The Eagles' Craig Crumbly earned the win after tossing five shutout innings with eight strikeouts. The Stags were held scoreless by the FGCU relievers until the eighth inning. With two outs in the frame, senior Peter Allen (Mamaroneck, N.Y.) doubled for the fifth time this season driving in sophomore David Dudish (Olney, Md.), who reached on a single to left field.

In the top of the ninth, senior Albie DeSimone (Pelham, N.Y.) led off with a double to centerfield. He came around to score on a single by Dave Jermine (North Haven, Conn.).

Fairfield returns to Bradenton, Fla. tomorrow, March 6, with a 10 a.m. contest against Bowling Green.