April 19, 2006
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
WEST HAVEN, Conn. - The Fairfield University baseball team dropped a non-conference doubleheader to Yale University on Wednesday afternoon at historic Yale Field. Yale won the first game 5-1, and came back from a 2-0 deficit to win 6-3 in the nightcap.
In the first game, Yale (23-14, 8-4 Ivy League) drew a pair of walks off Fairfield (11-20, 6-6 MAAC) starter senior Steve Tyburski (Feasterville, Pa./Holy Ghost Prep), in the bottom of the first inning. With runners on first and second, Josh Cox stole third and P.J. Gorynski stole second, to put runners in scoring position. Cox scored, when Jake Doyle grounded out to third, which allowed Cox to come home.
The Stags scored their first run of the game in the top of the third inning, as sophomore Tyler Birrittella (Tarrytown, N.Y./Sleepy Hollow) roped a leadoff double down the left field line, then went to third on a groundout by junior Brian Schappert (Wyckoff, N.J./Saint Joseph's University). Birrittella came home on an RBI groundout by sophomore Albie DeSimone (Pelham, N.Y./Pelham Memorial).
In the home half of the third inning, Gorynski doubled, and after moving to third on a fly out, came home on a sacrifice fly from Doyle, to give the Bulldogs a 2-1 lead.
Fairfield had runners on second and third in the top of the fourth inning, before Yale broke the game open in the bottom of the fourth with three unearned runs. Gorynski singled up the middle, to plate Dan Soltman, who reached on and error and Cox. Marc Sawyer roped a double to left center to drive in Gorynski.
Fairfield loaded the bases in the sixth, as senior Jim Girolamo (Wayland, Mass./Wayland) reached on a fielder's choice, and sophomore Adam Chilelli (Garden City, N.Y./Garden City) walked. Schappert struck out, but made it to first on a wild pitch. Reliever Brian Irving got DeSimone to strike out to end the inning.
Girolamo extended his hitting streak to seven games, by going 1-for-3 at the plate for the Stags in the first game. The streak was snapped in the nightcap, as he went 0-for-3. Sophomore Peter Allen (Mamaroneck, N.Y./Mamaroneck) went 2-for-4, and Birrittella went 1-for-3 with a double and a run scored.
Tyburski took the loss, as he gave up two earned runs on six hits in four innings of work. Junior Michael Colucci (Bayonne, N.J./St. Peter's Prep) pitched two innings of relief, allowing only one hit, while striking out one.
Fairfield scored two quick runs in the first inning of the nightcap, as senior John Scaife's (Ansonia, Conn./Ansonia) base hit to left brought home freshman Dave Jermine (North Haven, Conn./Notre Dame West Haven). Jermine singled through the right side, and went to second on a senior Doug Anderson (Randolph, N.J./Delbarton) single. Both runners advanced on a passed ball when Scaife was at the plate. That brought senior Tom Arpino (Brooklyn, N.Y./Xaverian) to the plate and he continued to hit the ball hard as he laced a single to centerfield, which allowed Anderson to score.
Yale put a run on the board in the bottom of the first, with an RBI double by Sawyer. Doyle's single to left center brought Sawyer home to tie the game at 2-2.
Fairfield made it 3-2 in the third inning, as Anderson hit the ball right at the Yale left fielder, who misplayed it, and allowed Anderson to go to second on a base hit and error. The Fairfield shortstop, went to third on a passed ball, and scored on a sacrifice fly from Arpino.
Yale tied it in the bottom of the third inning when Doyle doubled down the left field line, off senior Dan Breen (Troy, N.Y./Troy). Then John Janco doubled to the right centerfield gap.
Yale tacked two runs on two hits and an error to take a 5-3 lead, and would add another in the fifth, when Eric Rasmussen singled to centerfield to knock in Bush.
Anderson went 2-for-3 with two runs scored in the nightcap for the Stags. Arpino went 1-for-1 with two runs batted in, and Jermine was 1-for-3 with a run scored.
Fairfield returns home, for a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) series with Marist College, at Alumni Diamond. The Stags and Red Foxes will play a doubleheader on Saturday, with first pitch slated for 12 p.m.
