Fairfield Defeats Siena, 5-3, In 12 Innings
MAAC Sports
LAKEWOOD, N.J. – Sophomore left fielder Jake Salpietro snapped a 2-2 tie in the 12th inning with a two-run triple, and then scored an insurance run, to give No. 3 seed Fairfield a 5-3 win over No. 2 seed Siena College in Thursday’s (May 22) first game of the 2014 Metro Atllantic Athletic Conference Baseball Championship at FirstEnergy Park.
The victory puts the Stags in Friday’s (May 23) noon game against top-seed Canisius. Fairfield has won both of its games in the Championship, while Canisius is coming off a victory in its opening round game. Siena will play the winner of Thursday’s third game, which will feature No. 4 seed Quinnipiac against the winner of Thursday’s second game, No. 5 seed Monmouth against No. 6 seed Manhattan.
Fairfield put the first two runners on in the top of the 12th when Eric Fajardo led off with a walk , and advanced to second on Ryan Plourde’s base hit to right. Salpietro then ripped a triple to right center to clear the bases, and scored on a wild pitch, before losing pitcher Matt Quintana got out of the inning with a ground out and two strikeouts.
Siena came back to load the bases in the bottom of the 12th and scored one run when Andres Ortiz walked to force in Mike Allen. But Anthony DiMauro, the third reliever for the Stags, replaced Andrew Gallagher on the hill and got Dan Swain to fly out to left to end the game.
Salpietro’s heroics came after the two teams battled to a 2-2 tie through 11 innings. Siena starter Matt Gage through 10 innings, scattering five hits and striking out five while allowing two runs. Fairfield’s starter, Mike Wallace, allowed 12 hits and struck out four, but give up just two runs over 8.2 innings as Siena left 13 runners on base.
Fairfield struck first with a run in the fourth inning when freshman first baseman Mac Crispino was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, scoring Jake Salpietro. Salpietro had reached via error. Gage got out of the bases loaded jam by striking out shortstop Sal Ciccone.
Siena came back with two runs in the bottom of the fifth when Tyler Martis reached on a one-out base hit, and advanced to second on Vincent Citro’s single to left. Martis then scored from second when Mike Allen was safe on a mishandled liner by Fairfield second baseman Rob LoPinto. Citro scored the Saints’ second run when Justin Esquerra lifted a sac fly to deep left field.
The Stags knotted the score at 2-2 in the top of the seventh as Billy Zolga led off with a double, and advanced to third on Crispino’s infield ground out. Zolga scored on Ciccone’s sacrifice fly to right.
Fairfield mounted the beginnings of a threat in the top of the ninth when Jack Giannini and Billy Zolga both connected for base hits to put runners on first and second. But the next batter, Crispino, was the victim of a fine fielding play by Siena centerfielder Dan Swain, who made a sliding catch of Crispino’s line drive to center. Swain then got up and fired a throw to second baseman Mike Allen to catch Giannini, who had not tagged up, to complete the double play.
Siena mounted a two-out rally of its own in the bottom of the ninth. Martis singled up the middle with two down, and Wallace was lifted in favor of lefty Tucker Panciera. Panciera walked Citro, the only batter he faced. Righthander Andrew Gallagher came in to induce Mike Allen to fly out to Crispino in foul territory to end the inning.
Fairfield appeared to have scored the go-ahead run in the top of the 11th with a two-out rally. Seb Salvo singled to start the rally, followed by a base hit from Crispino. Ciccone ripped a pitch down the first base line and Salvo rounded third to score, but the play was called back when it was ruled that the ball hit the umpire behind first base and the ball was ruled dead. Dean Sadik then flew out to center field to end the inning.
Plourde and Zolga each had two hits for Fairfield (32-22). Citro had three hits and scored a run for Siena (22-31), while Brian Fay and Ortiz each had two hits.
Gallagher tossed three innings of relief to earn the win for Fairfield, while DiMauro retired the only batter he faced for the save.