March 7, 2005
LEXINGTON, Va. - The Fairfield University baseball team dropped a tough 20-2 decision to the Virginia Military Institute, Monday afternoon at Patchin Field. The loss drops Fairfield to 0-3 on its season opening trek to Virginia, while VMI improves to 8-7 on the season.
The Keydets scored three times in the second, third and fourth innings, four in the sixth and seventh, and three more in the eighth, to account for their run total on the afternoon.
Fairfield junior Doug Anderson (Randolph, N.J./Delbarton) scored the Stags first run of the afternoon, coming home on a wild pitch in the top of the seventh inning. Anderson, who went 1-for-3 at the plate for the Stags, started things off with a double to right centerfield, and later advanced on a groundout by senior David Soucy (Glastonbury, Conn./Glastonbury).
VMI's Robert Crumpler finished the day going 4-of-5 from the plate, with a homerun and a double. He drove in seven base runners, while scoring four runs. Kelly Sweppenhiser was 3-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored.
Freshman John Glancy (Hinsdale, Ill./Fenwick) drove in senior Mark Geanuleas (Glenside, Pa./Academy of the New Church) with a pinch-hit single through the right side of the Keydet infield in the top of the ninth inning. Geanuleas drew a one-out walk, and then advanced to second base after freshman Tyler Birrittella's (Tarrytown, N.Y./Sleepy Hollow) pinch-hit single.
Freshman Peter Allen (Mamaroneck, N.Y./Mamaroneck) and junior Dewey Raymond (Norwalk, Conn./Norwalk) also collected hits for the Stags on the afternoon.
Junior Sean Keegan (Middlebury, Conn./Pomperaug) was tagged with his first loss of the season going two and a third innings giving up six runs on six hits and one walk. He struck out one VMI batter
Fellow classmate Dan Breen (Troy, N.Y./Troy) also struggled giving up seven runs on nine hits.
Jimmy Thoms (3-0) picked up the win, holding the Stags to no runs on two hits, and two walks, while striking out two Fairfield hitters.
Fairfield continues its spring break trip to Virginia with a nine-inning game at Virginia Commonwealth on Tuesday afternoon at 4 p.m. at the Petersberg Sports Complex. The game was originally scheduled for last Saturday, but rain forced postponement until Tuesday.
