May 8, 2005
FAIRFIELD, Conn. - Despite scoring five runs in its last at-bat the Fairfield University baseball team dropped the final game of a Metro Athletic Conference (MAAC) series, 7-6, on Sunday afternoon. Fairfield trailed 7-2 heading into the bottom of the ninth, but staged a late rally, before junior John Scaife (Ansonia, Conn./Ansonia) flied out to end the game with runners on first and second.
Both teams, had to contend with windy conditions for the second day in a row, as wind gusts, were close to 30 miles per hour, on a cloudy Mother's Day at Alumni Diamond.
Yesterday, the Stags (12-30, 10-11 MAAC) received solid pitching outings from senior Tim Dugan (Cedar Grove, N.J./Seton Hall Prep), and junior Steve Tyburski (Feasterville, Pa./Holy Ghost Prep), in taking the doubleheader, but on Sunday sophomore Ed Kamintzky (Astoria, N.Y./Regis), who has been one of the bright spots in the Fairfield pitching staff, struggled, as he was touched for seven runs on 10 hits, in six innings of work.
However, junior Dan Breen (Troy, N.Y./Troy) continued to surge as of late, as he tied a school-record with his 20th appearance of the season, pitched three innings on one hit ball, allowing only one hit. Yesterday, Breen earned his third save of the season, getting the Stags out of a jam with two-thirds of an inning of perfect baseball, in the nightcap of the doubleheader.
On Sunday, Iona (8-35, 5-15 MAAC) scored three runs on four hits, in its first at-bat. The Gaels would make it 5-0 in the fifth inning, with two runs, on two hits.
Fairfield was finally able to put a run on the board in the bottom of the sixth inning as sophomore Brian Schappert (Wyckoff, N.J./St. Joseph's) led the inning off with a single to right field, then junior Jim Girolamo (Wayland, Mass./Wayland) smacked his 10th double of the season with a shot to left centerfield.
But, Iona would add a pair of runs in the top of the seventh inning, to make it 7-1. Breen would enter after the Gaels scored, and was able to retire the side, without any further damage.
Behind Breen, the Stags would enter the ninth inning; with the score still 7-1. Freshman Brian Rudolph (Washington Township, N.J./Bergen Catholic) started things off with a double to right centerfield. After a groundout, junior Tom Arpino (Brooklyn, N.Y./Xaverian) sent a shot through the right side of the Iona infield to plate Rudolph making it 7-2.;
Freshman Adam Chilelli (Garden City, N.Y./Garden City) then reached on an error, and senior Mark Geanuleas (Glenside, Pa./Academy of the New Church) had an infield single to load the bases. In the third inning, Geanuleas made an outstanding grab robbing Nick Capowski of a sure base hit with a lunging grab.
That brought Schappert to the plate, and he would lace a single to left centerfield, scoring two runs, making it 7-3, Iona. Girolamo walked, to keep the bases loaded, and junior Doug Anderson (Randolph, N.J./Delbarton) singled to left center field, scoring Schappert and Geanuleas.
Schappert finished the day, 2-for-5 with two runs and two runs batted in, Girolamo, Rudolph, and Geanuleas, and junior Dewey Raymond (Norwalk, Conn./Trinity Catholic) each added a pair of hits for the Stags.
Iona's Nick Conte picked up his first win of the season, after giving up one run on six hits in seven innings of work, and at the plate he was 2-for-5 with a run and a run batted in. Matt Callahan was 3-for-5 with a run scored, and Dan Potocki was also 2-for-5 with a run scored.
Notes... Geanulease and Anderson have provided the Stags with solid defense this season, helping Fairfield to the top fielding percentage team in the MAAC ... Geanuleas has played a solid second base this year, committing only one error in 154 chances for a .994 fielding percentage ... Anderson has also played solid at shortstop committing six errors in 214 chances for a .972 fielding percentage
