April 24, 2004
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. - The Fairfield University baseball team picked up a pair of critical road win on Saturday afternoon, at Niagara University, winning 6-4, and 3-2, in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) series at John P. Bobo Field.
With the wins, Fairfield improves to 12-16 overall and 7-7 in the MAAC. The doubleheader sweep drops the Purple Eagles to 14-18 overall and 8-4 in the MAAC.
In the opener, the Stags took a 6-4 lead with a run in the eighth and ninth innings to come away with the victory. In the eighth inning, sophomore Jim Girolamo (Wayland, Mass./Wayland) lofted a sacrifice fly to right field to plate junior David Soucy (Glastonbury, Conn./Glastonbury) who stroked a leadoff single to left field.
In the ninth inning senior Sal Mancuso (Bethpage, N.Y./Bethpage) roped a single to left centerfield to plate senior Antuan Barnett (Bronx, N.Y./Rice) who reached base on an error by the Niagara first baseman.
Fairfield broke the ice in the top of the first inning, when senior Nick Hudyma (New Britain, Conn./New Britain) singled through the left side of the Niagara infield, then he stole his 15th stolen base of the season, and then advanced to third on a wild pitch, and scored the first run of the game on another wild pitch.
Niagara added a pair of runs in the bottom of the second to take a 2-1 lead, off a homerun by Andrew MacNevin. However, in the top of the third inning Girolamo smacked a doubled and advanced to third on an error by the Niagara shortstop, to score sophomore John Scaife (Ansonia, Conn./Ansonia) who had an infield single to start the inning. Girolamo stole home for Fairfield second run of the inning.
Soucy had an RBI single to bring home Barnett in the top of the fourth inning, and in the home half of the fourth, Niagara's Mike Alati cut the lead with a homerun. The Purple Eagles would tie the game with another homerun, this time from Tim Fitzgerald in the bottom of the seventh inning with two outs.
Freshman Ed Kamintzky (Astoria, N.Y./Regis) picked up his second win of the week, and fourth on the season, working two and a third innings of two-hit relief. Kamintzky (4-0) struck out three in relief of senior Tom Maisano (Farmingdale, N.Y./Chaminade) who started the game, and gave up four runs on six hits and two walks in six and two-thirds innings of work. Maisano struck out three on the afternoon, to tie Steve Becker (1988-91) for third on the school's all-time strikeout list.
Soucy was 2-for-4 at the plate for the Stags, while scoring a run, and driving in another. Scaife was also 2-for-4 with a run scored. Girolamo was 1-for-4 with two runs batted in and a run scored.
In the nightcap, Niagara put a run on the board in the bottom of the first inning, as Paul Solini laced a triple to right center field to plate Vince Ircandia who singled and stole second and third.
The 1-0 lead would hold up until the top of the fifth inning, as the first three hitters of the inning reached base and eventually scored. Junior Marc Geanuleas (Glenside, Pa./Academy of the New Church) reached second after a throwing error by the third baseman. Soucy then singled to center, and advanced to second on a throwing error, by the centerfield, to put runners on second and third with no outs. That brought senior Jim Sheridan (Carle Place, N.Y./Carle Place) to the plate, and he smacked a double to left to clear the bases. Girolamo was the next hitter for the Stags, and he stroked a single to right centerfield to plate Sheridan.
The runs in the top of the fifth were all the Stags needed, as Niagara would only add a run in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Junior Tim Dugan (Cedar Grove, N.J./Seton Hall Prep) picked up his third win of the season giving up two runs on nine hits, and two walks in seven innings on the hill for the Stags. Dugan (3-5) also struck out six hitters to extend his team-high 43 on the season.
The two teams will finish the three-game series on Sunday afternoon, with a 12 p.m. start at John P. Bobo Field.
