May. 1, 2005
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. - Sophomore Brian Schappert (Wyckoff, N.J./St. Joseph's) sparked the Fairfield University baseball team to a 7-6 win in the first game of a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) doubleheader at Rider, on Sunday afternoon at Sonny Pittaro Field. Schappert was 3-for-4 with a homerun, two runs scored, and two runs batted in.
Over the last four games, Schappert has been key for the Stags (10-28, 8-9 MAAC) at the plate, as he has hit .615 (8-of-13) with three runs scored, and three runs batted in.
In the third inning of the opener, Fairfield loaded the bases, as freshman Brian Rudolph (Washington Township, N.J./Bergen Catholic), ripped a leadoff single.
Senior Mark Geanuleas (Glenside, Pa./Academy of the New Church), then, reached on an error by the Rider third baseman, and Schappet's base-hit, loaded the bases for junior Jim Girolamo (Wayland, Mass./Wayland), who's two-run double plated Geanuleas and Rudolph.
That brought junior Doug Anderson (Randolph, N.J./Delbarton) to the plate, and he lofted a sacrifice-fly to centerfield, scoring Schappert.
However, in the home half of the third Rider (11-25, 7-10 MAAC) took a 5-3 lead with a two-run double from Scott Knazek and an RBI double from Gene Crimoli. The Broncs scored five runs, and had five of their 11 hits in that inning.
In the Fairfield fifth freshman Adam Chilelli (Garden City, N.Y./Garden City) stroked a leadoff single, and then with one out, Schappert smacked his first homerun of the season, tying the game at 5-5.
In the top of the sixth, Fairfield would take the lead with an RBI double by Rudolph, scoring junior Tom Arpino (Brooklyn, N.Y./Xaverian) who had his 12th double of the season.
In the ninth, Chilelli walked, and went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Geanuleas. Then Schappert and Girolamo walked to load the bases, and Anderson grounded into a fielder's choice given, Fairfield a 7-5 lead.
Rider scored a run in its last at-bat, when Bryan Wagner singled in Mike Poalise who doubled.
Fairfield starter, Tim Dugan (Cedar Grove, N.J./Seton Hall Prep) recorded six strikeouts in eight innings of work to record the win. Dugan (4-4) gave up five runs on nine hits and two walks. Junior Dan Breen (Troy, N.Y./Troy) pitched the ninth to earn his second save of the season.
Arpino finished the first game, going 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored, and Rudolph also went 2-for-4 with a run scored, and his team-best 15th double of the season. Anderson and Girolamo also had two RBI in the game.
In the nightcap, Rider's Joe Moronese faced the minimum through five innings, collecting his fourth win of the season.
Rider posted a pair of runs in the bottom of the third inning, with a two-run single by Poalise.
In the fourth, Wagner laced a two-run double making it 4-0 in favor of the Broncs. In the fifth, Rider scored three runs on four hits, making it 7-0.
Schappert, Girolamo, and Rudolph each had base hits in the second game, for the Stags.
Between games, Rider had a dedication for its new field, Sonny Pittaro Field, who was the Broncs, former coach.
The games were originally scheduled for Saturday, but rain forced the postponement until Sunday. The third game of the MAAC series will take place on Monday afternoon. First pitched is slated for 1 p.m. in Lawrenceville.
Notes...
Fairfield ran its consectuctive innings without an error streak to 38 and two-thirds, before committing an error in the bottom of the first inning of the nightcap ... After Sunday's games, Fairfield has a team fielding percentage of .965.
