Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

BALTIMORE - Junior Rob Gariano (Nutley, N.J.) tossed a complete game and sophomore Tucker Nathans (Warwick, N.Y.) drove in six runs on the day to help the Fairfield University baseball team to a doubleheader sweep against UMBC this afternoon. The Stags, behind Gariano captured the first game, 7-2, and picked up a 6-4 win in extra innings in the nightcap.

In his second complete game of the year, Gariano scattered two runs and seven hits over nine innings, while striking out 12 batters to improve to 3-2 on the season. Nathans, meanwhile, went 7-for-10 with six RBI and two runs scored on the day, including a 5-for-5 and four-RBI effort in the nightcap.

Junior David Dudish (Olney, Md.) put the Stags (9-9) ahead 1-0 in the opening game, scoring on an error in the top of the second. Fairfield posted four runs in the top of the fourth inning. Dudish started the surge once again as he reached on an error to start the inning and came around to score on a single by Chris Horning (Potomac, Md.). With the bases loaded, Matt Tiagwad (Mt. Laurel, N.J.) singled to the shortstop to plate Horning. With the infield in, Nathans came through with a single through the right side to drive in a pair of runs and give Fairfield the 5-0 lead. The Stags added two more runs in the top of the ninth inning on a Bill Rafferty (Guilderland, N.Y.) double to left center which scored both Dudish and Nathans. Rafferty went 3-for-3 with two doubles and two RBI while Dudish crossed the plate three times.

Gariano retired the first eight batters he faced. The Retrievers (4-12) got on the board in the bottom half of the inning on a two-run homer by Tom Meaney. After allowing a hit and a walk in the fifth inning, Gariano retired UMBC in order in the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings. The Retrievers threatened in the bottom of the ninth but the Stags held them off for the win.

In the second game, the Stags got on the board first on an RBI single by Nathans in the top of the third inning. The Retrievers answered with two runs in the bottom half of the frame. Fairfield tied it up in the top of the fifth inning as Nathans provided another RBI single. UMBC countered in the bottom half of the inning with two runs on three hits to pull ahead 4-2.

The Stags tied the game in the top of the sixth inning Mark Skrapits (Bronx, N.Y.) cut the gap to a run after scoring on a single by Ryan Furbeck (Oakland, N.J.). With the bases loaded and one out, Nathans singled to centerfield to plate Carmine DeVito (Plainview, N.Y.) and tied the game. UMBC was able to get out of the jam, setting down the next two batters to end the rally.

In extra innings, Furbeck, who went 3-for-4 in the game, led off with a single and scored one batter later on a Nathans double to left center to give the Stags the 5-4 lead. Fairfield added an insurance run off the bat of Jason Rago (Fairfield, Conn.) who doubled down the left field line to score Nathans. Senior Dan Gallagher (Allendale, N.J.) shut the Retrievers down in the bottom half of the inning for the win. With his eighth appearance this season, Gallagher tied Scott Larkin for second all-time with 55 career appearances. Gallagher is one away from tying Dan Breen's record of 56 appearances.

Junior Kevin Fico (Stamford, Conn.) received the no-decision after going 5.1 innings, allowing four runs, three earned on eight hits with six strikeouts. Gallagher went 2.2 innings, giving up just one hit while striking out a batter.

Fairfield wraps up the series with UMBC on March 29.