May 6, 2005
FAIRFIELD, Conn. - The Fairfield University baseball team will host Iona College this weekend in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) series this weekend at Alumni Diamond. Fairfield enters the weekend with an 8-10 mark in the MAAC, while Iona sits at 4-13 in conference action.
First pitch for the doubleheader on Saturday is slated for 12 p.m., with game two expected to begin, approximately 20 minutes following the conclusion of game one. On Sunday the final game of the series begins at 12 p.m.
As of Friday the games are still slated to be played, however, with rain predicted in several forecasts; game times and days could be altered. Please check back at www.fairfieldstags.com, or call the Fairfield University Athletics Hotline at (203) 254-4000, ext. 4214, and press option 2 for game postponement information.
Last season, Fairfield took two-of-three from the Gaels at Iona. Fairfield took the first game 8-4, after Jim Girolamo went 3-for-5 with two runs scored. Ed Kamintzky pitched two innings of shutout relief striking out one, and giving up only one walk.
But, in the second game of the series, Iona scored the game's only run in the fourth inning, to take a 1-0 decision.
Fairfield came back on Sunday, to take the rubber-game, 2-1. Doug Anderson scored the first run of the game, on an Iona error in the top of the first inning. Fairfield added another run in the fifth off a sacrifice-fly.
Iona cut the lead in half, and rallied in the bottom of the ninth, but was only able to push one run across.
Entering this weekend, senior Tim Dugan needs only eight strikeouts to tie Steve Becker (1988-91) for fourth place on the school's all-time strikeout list. Dugan has struck out a team-high 52 batters this season to raise his career total to 169.
In addition, several Fairfield players are ranked high in the latest MAAC statistical rankings, junior John Scaife leads the MAAC in runs batted in with 40. Anderson is second in the MAAC in stolen bases with 15, and Girolamo is fourth with 14.
Freshman Brian Rudolph leads the MAAC with 15 doubles, and Dugan is fifth in strikeouts.
Also, as a team, Fairfield has the best fielding percentage in the conference with a .965 mark. Recently, the Stags had a 38 and two-thirds innings without committing an error.
Iona is led by Matt Bruno who is batting .289 this season with 37 hits and 11 runs batted in. Dan Rodriguez is hitting .269 with 13 runs batted in, and Nick Capowski has two homeruns and 19 RBI.
Following this weekend, Fairfield heads to Buffalo, N.Y., the weekend of May 14 and 15 for a three-game series with Canisius College. Fairfield will close out the regular season with a three-game set with Manhattan College at Alumni Diamond, May 19 and 20.
