May. 2, 2005
LAWRENCEVILLE, N.Y. - Junior catcher Tom Arpino (Brooklyn, N.Y./Xaverian) was 2-for-3 with his second homerun of the season, and senior Mark Geanuleas (Glenside, Pa./Academy of the New Church) was 3-for-4 with a run scored, and one run batted in, as the Fairfield University baseball team dropped the rubber-game of a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) series against Rider, 17-6, on Monday afternoon at Sonny Pittaro Field.
After Arpino walked with the bases loaded to bring in sophomore Brian Schappert (Wyckoff, N.J./St. Joseph's) in the top of the first inning, Rider (12-25, 8-10 MAAC) scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning.
In the top of the second inning, Geanuleas singled and went to second on an error by the catcher, and later went to third, after Schappert and junior Jim Girolamo (Wayland, Mass./Wayland) drew walks. Junior Doug Anderson's (Randolph, N.J./Delbarton) sacrifice-fly scored Geanuleas.
But in the bottom of the second, Rider scored six runs on four hits to take a 9-2 lead. In the top of the third, Arpino led the inning off with a homerun down the left field line, making it 9-3.
But, Rider scored seven more runs in the bottom of the third inning.
Fairfield (10-29, 8-10 MAAC) added a pair in the fifth, as Arpino laced a single to left field, and then freshman Brian Rudolph (Washington Township, N.J./Bergen Catholic) ripped a single to the left centerfield gap to put runners on first and second.
The runners moved up on a groundout, and freshman Adam Chilelli (Garden City, N.Y./Garden City) laced a single to center, scoring Arpino. Then Geanuleas stroked his third hit of the afternoon to left centerfield, plating Rudolph.
Fairfield would add a run in the seventh, as Chilelli had a leadoff double, his sixth of the season, then Schappert grounded into a fielder's choice, scoring Chilelli.
Rudolph also had three hits in the ballgame, as he went 3-for-5 with one run scored. Girolamo went 2-for-4, and Rudolph finished the day with a pair of hits.
Fairfield returns to action on Saturday afternoon at Alumni Diamond, when Iona College, visits for a MAAC series. First pitch of the doubleheader on Saturday is set for 12 p.m.
