Box Score

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - The Fairfield University baseball team opened its 2009 campaign on a down note, falling to the University of Massachusetts, 25-4. Sophomore Tucker Nathans (Warwick, N.Y.) was impressive going 4-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored.

The Minutemen (2-1) opened the first inning by pushing two runs across the plate off of junior Rob Gariano (Nutley, N.J.). The Stags (0-1) responded with two of the own in the bottom half of the frame. After Nathans reached on a single, junior Jason Rago (Fairfield, Conn.) stepped to the plate and launched his first homer run of the season to tie the game.

UMass added a pair of runs in the top of the fourth and then broke the game open in the top off the fifth by posting 11 runs. The Minutemen added seven more in the top of the sixth. UMass also posted three runs in the top of the eighth.

The Stags scored in the bottom of the sixth as David Dudish (Olney, Md.), who tripled, trotted home on a single by Mike Joyce (Smithtown, N.Y.). Fairfield added another run in the bottom of the seventh as Nathans singled home rookie Mark Skrapits (Bronx, N.Y.).

Gariano (0-1) took the loss, giving up eight runs, five earned, on seven hits in four and a third innings. Gariano struck out four batters.

Fairfield continues action in Winter Haven tomorrow, March 2, against Rhode Island.