Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

QUEENS, N.Y. - The Fairfield University baseball team dropped a doubleheader to St. John's University in non-conference action this afternoon at Jack Kaiser Stadium. Fairfield was topped 14-4 in game one followed by a 10-1 loss in game two. The defending Big East Regular Season Champion Red Storm improve to 12-4 overall while the Stags fall to 2-11.

Senior Brian Rudolph (Washington Twp., N.J.) had a solid day for the Stags as he went a combined 3-for-6 with a run scored. All three of Rudolph's hits were doubles.

Fairfield had a solid start in game one by loading the bases to start the opening frame. In that effort, senior Albie DeSimone (Pelham, N.Y.) drew a lead off walk while Tucker Nathans (Warwick, N.Y.) followed with a single. Jason Rago (Fairfield, Conn.) then reached on the error to load the bases. Senior Peter Allen (Mamaroneck, N.Y.) was hit by a pitch to force the run in and give the Stags a 1-0 lead. The Red Storm's Ryan Cole settled down and retired the final three batters of the frame. St. John's answered in the bottom half of the inning putting two runs up on the board. The Red Storm added three more runs over the next two innings to pull ahead, 5-1.

The Stags narrowed the gap with a three-run fourth inning. This time, it was the freshmen doing some of the damage as Mike Bourdon (Simsbury, Conn.) and Justin Nusblatt (Doylestown, Pa.) each had RBI singles. Junior Dave Jermine (North Haven, Conn.) was responsible for the other run in the inning as he drove in Mike Joyce (Smithtown, N.Y.) with a single. St. John's broke the game open in the bottom of the fifth inning with a six-run effort. The Red Storm also added three runs in the bottom of the sixth.

In game two, St. John's hurler Jared Yecker was nearly untouchable for the first four innings as he gave up just one hit while striking out six batters. After a Rudolph double in the top of the first inning, the Stags did not have another base runner until the fourth when Matt Tiagwad (Mt. Laurel, N.J.) drew a walk. Fairfield's next hit came in the top of the sixth inning. In the sixth, Nusblatt led off with a single. With two outs, Allen singled and Tiagwad loaded the bases by drawing a walk. Nusblatt then touched home on an error by the St. John's catcher to make the score 9-1.

Rob Gariano (Nutley, N.J.) took the loss in game one after giving up 10 runs, six earned, on 12 hits along with five strikeouts in four and a third innings of work. Ryan Calabrese (Wantagh, N.Y.) picked up the loss in the second game going four and a third innings and allowing five runs, three earned on five hits.

Fairfield will look to avenge the losses to St. John's on March 18 when the Stags open play at home against the Red Storm at 3 p.m. at Alumni Diamond.