March 29, 2007
NEW BRITAIN, Conn. - The Fairfield University baseball team suffered a tough road loss to local rival Central Connecticut State this afternoon falling to the Blue Devils, 11-2.
Central Connecticut (8-3) got on the board first, putting two runs up in the bottom of the second inning. The Blue Devils broke the game open in the bottom of the third scoring six runs on two hits and two errors to take an 8-0 lead.
In the top of the fourth frame, the Stags (4-10, 3-0 MAAC) crossed the plate for the first time. Junior Pat Hoban (Malvern, Pa.) drew a walk to start the inning and came around to score on a Peter Allen (Mamaroneck, N.Y.) double to leftfield one batter later. The double was Allen's ninth of the season and his 13th RBI in 14 games. In addition, Allen has now reached base safely in 20 consecutive games dating back to last season.
The Blue Devils took advantage of an error and a wild pitch in the bottom half of the fourth inning and tacked on three more runs to push the score to 11-1. Fairfield was held scoreless until the top of the ninth inning when senior Philip Espinosa (Commack, N.Y.) drove in freshman Bill Rafferty (Schenectady, N.Y.) with a single to right center.
Freshman Rick Piccirillo (Trumbull, Conn.) was credited with the loss, giving up 11 runs, four earned, on five hits and five walks. Sophomore Dan Gallagher (Allendale, N.J.) pitched three scoreless innings in relief, giving up just one hit. Freshman Dan Urbanovich (Nutley, N.J.) threw one inning of scoreless relief giving up one hit while fanning two batters.
Sophomore Ken Kerski picked up the win for CCSU by giving up one run on two hits in five innings of work. Senior John Romano went 2-for-4 on the day with three runs batted in.
Freshmen Matt Tiagwad (Mt. Laurel, N.J.) and junior Adam Chilelli (Garden City, N.Y.) also had hits for the Stags.
Fairfield resumes conference play at LeMoyne on March 31.
