April 30, 2006
LEWISTON, N.Y. - The Fairfield University baseball team dropped the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) series finale with Niagara University, 17-6, Sunday afternoon at Bobo Field. The Purple Eagles also knocked nine extra base hits, and hit four homeruns on the afternoon.
Fairfield (13-24, 7-10 MAAC) pounded out 12 hits on the afternoon, and was led by senior Doug Anderson (Randolph, N.Y./Delbarton) who went 2-for-4 with a homerun and two runs batted in.
In the first inning, junior Brian Schappert (Wyckoff, N.J./Saint Joseph's University) singled and then came around to score on a double from Sophomore Albie DeSimone (Pelham, N.Y./Pelham Memorial). Then with two outs, Anderson sent one over the right field fence for his first home run of the season to make it 3-0.
Niagara put some runs on the board in the home half of the first inning, as Andrew MacNevin walked, and then Mike Medici singled to put runners at first and third. Mike Alati's run scoring single plated MacNevin.
The Purple Eagles would break the game open in the bottom of the second inning, as they scored six runs on six hits, to take a 7-3 lead. Niagara added one more in the third to make it 8-3.
In the fifth inning, Fairfield cut into the lead, by scoring two runs on three hits and an error. Freshman Dave Jermine (North Haven, Conn./Notre Dame) singled to lead the inning off and advanced to third DeSimone's double down the right field line. That brought, senior John Scaife (Ansonia, Conn./Ansonia) to the plate, and his ground ball to first allowed Jermine to score.
Then Anderson reached on a fielding error by the third baseman, and senior Tom Arpino (Brooklyn, N.Y./Xaverian) singled up the middle to bring in DeSimone.
Niagara scored three more times in the bottom of the fifth inning. Schappert put another run on the board for the Stags in the sixth inning, with a single up the middle of the infield, to score sophomore Tyler Birrittella (Tarrytown, N.Y./Sleepy Hollow).
Niagara tacked on five more runs in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Schappert went 2-for-4 with a run scored and one run batted in. Jermine, who continues to take advantage of every at bat, went 2-for-4 with a run scored. DeSimone also collected a pair of hits with a double two runs scored and one RBI. Arpino and Birrittella also finished the game with two hits each.
Fairfield returns to the diamond on Tuesday afternoon with its final non-conference game of the season at Stony Brook. First pitch is slated for 3:30 p.m.
