Box Score

FAIRFIELD, Conn.  - Sophomore Bill Rafferty (Guilderland, N.Y.) drove in the game-winning run in the bottom of the 12^th inning to lift the Fairfield University baseball team to a 12-11 victory over Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) foe Rider University. With the win, the Stags (11-24) evened with the Broncs (20-15) in the league standings as they each have a 9-6 record. 

With two outs in the 12th inning, Rafferty roped a single to centerfield allowing senior Pat Hoban (Malvern, Pa.) to score easily from second base. Earlier in the inning, Hoban got the rally started with a one-out single to right field. He then advanced to second on a groundout by junior Mike Joyce (Smithtown, N.Y.). Rafferty finished the day 3-for-7 while Hoban was 2-for-5 with two walks, a run scored, and an RBI. 

Rafferty's game-winner wrapped up a four-and-a-half hour slugfest in which the Stags pounded out 21 hits while the Broncs tallied 18. Reliever Dan Urbanovich (Nutley, N.J.) picked up the win to move to 4-0 on the season. Urbanovich threw five and one-third innings, scattering three runs on six hits. Rider's James Hayes fell to 3-1 on the season after allowing two runs on seven hits in four and two-thirds innings of work. Hayes also struck out seven batters. 

The Stags opened a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning thanks in part to a single by sophomore David Dudish (Olney, Md.), the reigning MAAC Player of the Week, which scored two runs. The Stags third run of the inning came on an RBI groundout by Mike Weiner (Easton, Conn.) that plated freshman Tucker Nathans (Warwick, N.Y.). Fairfield then pushed its lead to 6-0 on a three-run homer by Nathans in the bottom of the second inning. 

Rider crept back into the game with a four-run third inning, but the Stags got one of the runs back in the bottom half of the frame on a solo homer by sophomore Jason Rago (Fairfield, Conn.) which made the score 7-4. 

Trailing 10-8 in the eighth inning, the Broncs' Mason Heyne tied the game with a two-run homer off of the scoreboard in left field. The Stags, however, regained the lead in the bottom half of the inning on a homerun by Dudish. Rider got the run back in the top of the ninth inning as Nick Wojnowksi hit a two-out double to score Hayes and tie the game 11-11. 

Rider threatened in the top of the tenth, putting a runner on second with one out, but could not advance him. Fairfield also threatened in the tenth, putting runners on first and second with two outs, but could break the stalemate. 

In the 11th inning, Rider stranded a runner on second base and then had to pitch out of a bases loaded jam in the bottom half of the inning. Rafferty started things off in the 11th with a single down the right field line. He advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by senior Albie DeSimone (Pelham, N.Y.) and reached third after Adam Chilelli (Garden City, N.Y.) bunted for a base hit. Rider then intentionally walked Nathans with one out to load the bases but Dudish grounded into a fielder's choice which erased Rafferty at home. Hayes was able to strikeout Rago to end the inning. 

DeSimone went 4-for-6 on the day with two runs scored and an RBI while Nathans went 2-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored. Nathans drove in nine of the Stags runs during their three-game set with Rider. 

Dudish continued to swing a hot bat, going 2-for-5 with two walks, three RBI, and two runs scored. Rago was 2-for-4 at the plate with two RBI while sophomore Matt Tiagwad (Mt. Laurel, N.J.) was 2-for-5 with two runs scored. 

The game was the Stags' second longest of the year and fourth extra inning contest of the season. Fairfield's longest game this year was a 13-inning marathon against Fordham on April 2. 

Fairfield returns to action on April 22 to host UConn at 3:30 p.m. The Stags then hit the road for an April 24 non-conference game at Quinnipiac. Fairfield resumes MAAC play April 26-27 at Iona.