March 15, 2006
BRADENTON, Fla. - Senior centerfielder Jim Girolamo (Wayland, Mass./Wayland) had a pair of hits, including a triple and a stolen base, for the Fairfield University baseball team, on Wednesday afternoon at Academy Park. Indiana proved to be too tough for the Stags, winning by a score of 15-2.
Indiana's (3-8) Clint Crosier stuck out nine Fairfield (3-7) hitters over six innings, while giving up six hits and a walk to record his first collegiate victory.
Senior catcher Tom Arpino (Brooklyn, N.Y./Xaverian) went 2-for-3 for Fairfield with a run scored. Junior Philip Espinosa (Commack, N.Y./St. Anthony's) was 1-for-1 with a double and a walk.
The Hoosiers took a 2-0 lead in the second inning, when Steve Head tripled plating Zach Boswell who led the inning off with a walk. Then Tad Reida's base hit allowed Head to come around to score.
In the third inning Fairfield rallied, taking advantage of two errors by the Indiana defense. With one out, freshman George Lisi (Stratford, Conn./Bunnell) reached on an error by the shortstop. Then, sophomore Tyler Birrittella (Tarrytown, N.Y./Sleepy Hollow) reached on an error by the left fielder. Junior Brian Schappert (Wyckoff, N.J./Saint Joseph's University) singled to left to load the bases. However, Crosier was able to work his way out of the jam getting a fly ball from Girolamo and a ground out by senior John Scaife (Ansonia, Conn./Ansonia).
Indiana tacked one more run on the board in the top of the fourth, before the Stags scored their first run of the game in the home half of the fourth inning. With one-out and runners on first and second, sophomore Albie DeSimone (Pelham, N.Y./Pelham Memorial) stroked a double down the right field line, to drive in Arpino who led the inning off with a base hit.
The Hoosiers would get three more runs, when Boswell homered in the top of the fifth inning. Reida's base hit made it 7-1. They would go onto score four more runs in the sixth and eighth innings.
The Stags would add a run in the bottom of the seventh inning. Girolamo tripled for the second time in his career, and later scored on a balk.
Sophomore Ryan Hoffmann (West Sayville, N.Y./St. Anthony's) struggled as he gave up four earned runs on six hits and four walks in four innings. Hoffmann (0-1) struck out four hitters. Freshman Joe Pijanowski (Mountainside, N.J./Gov. Livingston) was sparkling for the second time in as many outings as he gave up only one walk in one inning of relief.
Fairfield continues its spring break trip to Florida on Thursday against Fairleigh Dickinson University. First pitch is slated for 2:30 p.m. at the IMG Sports Academy.
