April 1, 2006
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
JERSEY CITY, N.J. - The Fairfield University baseball team, split a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) doubleheader at Saint Peter's, falling 16-15 in the first game, and taking the nightcap, 8-6 in five innings. The game was called after five innings, due to darkness.
In the nightcap, the Stags (7-14, 3-2 MAAC) jumped out to a 2-0 lead, in their first at-bat, when junior Brian Schappert (Wyckoff, N.J./Saint Joseph's) doubled to lead the game off, and moved over to third with a sacrifice bunt by senior Jim Girolamo (Wayland, Mass./Wayland). Senior John Scaife (Ansonia, Conn./Ansonia) plating Schappert who finished the game 2-for-3 with three runs scored. Scaife scored, when senior Tom Arpino (Brooklyn, N.Y./Xaverian) reached on an error by the Saint Peter's shortstop.
Saint Peter's tied it in the bottom of the first, when Dennis Alexander and Frank Pacifico scored on errors by the Fairfield defense.
In the second inning, with two outs, Schappert singled, then stole second, and scored on an error by the Saint Peter's centerfielder, when Girolamo singled, giving the Stags a 3-2 lead. However, the Peacocks scored four runs (three unearned) on three hits and an error to make it 6-3.
But in the fourth, Fairfield scored five runs on three hits, to take an 8-6 lead, which would hold up until the game was called to darkness. With the bases loaded, Schappert drew a walk to bring in junior Philip Espinosa (Commack, N.Y./St. Anthony's) who led the inning off with a walk.
Then Girolamo singled and advanced to second on an error by the right fielder, which plated sophomore Adam Chilelli (Garden City, N.Y./Garden City) and sophomore Tyler Birrittella (Tarrytown, N.Y./Sleepy Hollow). Then after two strikeouts, pinch hitter sophomore Peter Allen (Mamaroneck, N.Y./Mamaroneck) walked to load the bases for sophomore Albie DeSimone (Pelham, N.Y./Pelham Memorial) who walked to bring in Schappert. Then Espinosa was hit by a pitch to plate Girolamo for the fifth run of the inning.
Fairfield would keep the Peacocks off the board thanks to two innings of one hit ball by senior Steve Tyburski (Feasterville, Pa./Holy Ghost Prep). Graduate Student Paul DeMarco (Honeoye Falls, N.Y./Duke University) pitched three innings of four-hit ball to record his second victory of the season.
In the first game, Fairfield (7-14, 3-2 MAAC) was led by Allen who went 2-for-4 with a homerun, two runs scored and three runs batted in. Birrittella went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two runs batted in.
Saint Peter's score five time on four hits and an error in the bottom of the seventh inning, to make it 13-10 Fairfield.
In the eighth, Scaife singled to bring in Anderson who singled and went to second on an error by the Saint Peter's left fielder. It was the 150th hit for the Fairfield shortstop in his collegiate career. Allen's base hit made it 15-10 Fairfield, heading into the ninth inning.
But, SPC scored six runs on five hits in their last at-bat to win the game 16-15.
Scaife finished the game, 2-for-5 with three runs scored and two runs batted in. Arpino was 2-for-3 with a double, and two runs scored, DeSimone was 2-for-4 with two runs batted in, and Chilelli was 2-for-5 with two runs batted in and a run scored, as Fairfield pounded out 14 hits in the first game of the day.
The series is set to conclude on Sunday afternoon with a nine-inning game beginning at 12 p.m.
