Iona Advances to 2017 MAAC LifeStorage Championship Final
MAAC Sports
No. 4 Iona College – 7 | No. 1 Fairfield University – 6
2017 MAAC LifeStorage Baseball Championship – Game Nine
Sal Maglie Stadium
Niagara Falls, NY
Score by Innings 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Iona 0 0 0 2 1 1 3 0 0 7 11 1
Fairfield 0 0 2 2 0 0 1 0 1 6 9 1
No. 4 Iona College defeated No. 1 Fairfield University, 7-6, to advance to the 2017 MAAC LifeStorage Championship final. The Gaels are set to play in their third MAAC Baseball Championship game and the first since 1997.
Iona takes on No. 2 Marist College in the 2017 MAAC LifeStorage Championship final today at 4:20 p.m. on MAAC.TV. If the Gaels defeat the Red Foxes, a winner take all game is slated to be played tomorrow, May 28 at 12:00 p.m. on MAAC.TV.
Sophomore Antonio Velardi (1-1) earned the win. He tossed 2.1 innings in relief, allowed one run, earned, on two hits. He struck out one and walked one. 2017 MAAC Pitcher of the Year, junior Jared Finkel earned his 11th save of the season. Finkel tossed 3.0 innings, allowed one run, earned, on two hits. He struck out one and walked one.
Sophomore second baseman Sean Breen went 3-4 with a double and two runs scored. Senior first baseman Matt Byrne went 2-5 with one RBI and one run scored. Junior infielder Lou Matarazzo registered a pinch-hit two-run double in the top of the seventh inning to give the Gaels a 7-4 lead.
Iona hit .400 (4-10) with two outs, .389 (7-18) with runners on base, .455 (5-11) with runners in scoring position, and .333 (3-9) when leading off an inning.
Stags' junior starter David Sacco was credited with the no-decision. He tossed 4.0 innings, allowed two runs, earned, on four hits. Sacco struck out five and walked none. Senior Mike Bonaiuto (3-5) took the loss. He pitched 0.1 innings of relief, allowed three runs, one earned, on two hits. Bonaiuto did not record a strikeout or a walk.
Sophomore third baseman Jack Gethings went 4-5 with a triple, a double, two RBI, and two runs scored. Senior outfielder Troy Scocca went 1-4 with three RBI for Fairfield.
With the loss, the Stags have been eliminated from the 2017 MAAC LifeStorage Championship. Fairfield finished the season (31-24, 17-7 MAAC).
The 2017 MAAC LifeStorage Baseball Championship takes place at Sal Maglie Stadium hosted by Canisius College and Niagara University from May 24-28
The Championship is a double elimination style tournament. If the team coming out of the losers' bracket defeats the team in the winners' bracket, the if necessary game takes place on Sunday, May 28 at 12:00 p.m.
The winner of the 2017 MAAC Baseball Championship earns the league's automatic bid into the NCAA Championship. The NCAA Baseball Selection Show is on Monday, May 29 on ESPN2 at 12:00 p.m.
For all information on the 2017 MAAC LifeStorage Baseball Championship, visit maacsports.com/baseball and be sure to follow the action on social media by using #MAACBaseball and #LiveNF.
Tickets can be purchased for the 2017 MAAC LifeStorage Baseball Championship by visiting maac.ticketleap.com.