Box Score

FAIRFIELD, Conn. - The Fairfield University baseball team dropped a wild one to cross-town rival Sacred Heart University, falling to the Pioneers 20-13 at Alumni Diamond. The two teams combined for 33 runs, 30 hits, and four errors.

Rookies Tyler Wosleger (East Hampton, Conn.) and Nick Piccirillo (Trumbull, Conn.) each drove in three runs for the Stags (17-20) while classmate Ryan Furbeck (Oakland, N.J.) scored three times.

The contest, originally scheduled to be played the Ballpark at Harbor Yard, was moved to Alumni Diamond and remained a Sacred Heart home game.

Fairfield opened up a 3-0 lead to start the game but Sacred Heart (19-21-1) cut the gap to 3-2 on a two-run homer by Mike Olszyk. The Pioneers then took the 4-3 lead in the bottom of the third scoring on a Fairfield error. The Stags tied the score in the top of the fourth on an RBI single by Piccirillo but the Pioneers regained the lead in the bottom half of the inning.

Trailing 6-4 entering the fifth, junior Jason Rago (Fairfield, Conn.) tied the game with a single which plated Tucker Nathans (Warwick, N.Y.) and Bill Rafferty (Guilderland, N.Y.). Sacred Heart answered in the bottom of the fifth as Jeff Heppner singled home Phil Tantillo to put the Pioneers ahead, 7-6. Sacred Heart added four runs in the bottom of the sixth to open up an 11-6 lead.

The Stags posted three runs in the top of the seventh to pull within two runs but the Pioneers broke the game open in the bottom of the eighth tacking nine runs on the board. Fairfield banged out four runs in the top of the ninth, but it was not enough.

Rookie Sam Robertson (Ridgefield, Conn.) got the loss after allowing seven runs, four earned, on five hits in five innings. James Ineson notched his first collegiate win while Bobby Shepherd earned the save by pitching the final four innings.

Wosleger and Piccirillo each went 2-for-4 while Furbeck finished the day 3-for-4. Rafferty went 3-for-5 with two runs scored while David Dudish (Olney, Md.) went 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored. For Sacred Heart, Tantillo went 4-for-5 with four RBI and three runs scored while Jeff Hanson drove in three.

Fairfield hosts Stony Brook on April 29 and will wrap up play at home May 2-3 against Iona. Prior to the Sunday's game, Fairfield will honor its senior class of Mike Joyce, Dan Gallagher, and Doug Ciallella.