Fairfield Baseball Concludes Season with First-Ever NCAA Regional Final Appearance
No. 2 Texas - 12 | Fairfield University - 2
2021 NCAA Division I Baseball Championship – Austin Regional
UFCU Disch-Falk Field | Austin, TX
The Fairfield University baseball team concluded a landmark season for the program late Sunday evening as the Stags (39-5, 34-1 MAAC) fell to No. 2 Texas (45-15, 17-7 Big 12), 12-2, in front of a sold-out crowd at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, TX.
Fairfield added one more item to what has become a long list of achievements this season, becoming the second MAAC team to ever reach an NCAA Baseball Regional Final, joining Manhattan College when they played the University of Miami in the Lincoln Regional Final on June 4, 2006.
With the victory on their home field, Texas captures the Austin Regional crown and advances to host either South Florida or South Alabama in the upcoming Super Regional round.
Texas scored 10 runs in the game’s first three innings, more than enough to power the team to victory and the regional title. The Longhorn offense peaked with a five-run third inning that was capped by a bases-clearing triple by Douglas Hodo III.
Fairfield scored both of their runs in the bottom half of the third, starting with a double from Owen Wosleger that brought home Ryan Strollo to give the Stags their first run of the game. Mike Handal reached base on the next at bat from a throwing error by Texas, allowing Wosleger to score from second and make it a 10-2 game.
The Longhorns wrapped up scoring with two more runs in the top of the fifth to put themselves back up by double-digits, 12-2.
With their second loss in the Austin Regional, Fairfield is eliminated from the 2021 NCAA Division I Baseball Championship. The 2021 MAAC Baseball Regular Season Champions conclude their season with a 2-2 record in the NCAA Championship.
Fairfield Notes
- Jack Erbeck made his season debut for Fairfield, getting the start for the Stags.
- Peter Ostensen, Billy Fitzgerald, and Tristan Amone silenced the Texas offense over the final four innings, combining to surrender just two hits. Ostensen recorded a team-high four strikeouts in his two innings of work.
- Wosleger tallied the lone RBI for Fairfield. He also led the team in hits with two.
- Ethan Hibbard earned his first career hit with a single in the bottom of the ninth.
Arizona State University - 7 | Fairfield University - 9
2021 NCAA Division I Baseball Championship – Austin Regional
UFCU Disch-Falk Field | Austin, TX
Earlier in the day, Fairfield (39-4, 34-1 MAAC) survived elimination for the second straight game, defeating second-seeded Arizona State (33-22, 16-14 Pac-12), 9-7, in a rematch of their opening matchup on Friday night.
Trailing 5-0 as they entered the bottom of the third, the Stags comeback began off the bat of Sean Cullen, drilling a two-run homer to cut the deficit to three, 5-2. After Arizona State extended their lead to four, 6-2, in the top of the fourth, Mike Handal drove in Owen Wosleger and Matt Venuto in the bottom half of the inning on a single to bring Fairfield within two, 6-4. Ryan Strollo tied the game for the Stags, 6-6, in the fifth inning when he singled into right-center field to bring home Mike Becchetti and Charlie Pagliarini.
In the top of the sixth, Arizona State scored their final run of the game on one of the more bizarre plays of the college baseball season, when a pitch by Fairfield’s Eli Oliphant sailed into the pocket of the home plate umpire. Once it was determined where the ball was, by rule, all runners were allowed to advance one base, bringing one run home to put the Sun Devils back up, 7-6.
The Stags took the lead for good in the bottom of the sixth when Justin Guerrera launched his team-leading 13
th home run out to left field, scoring three runs and putting the team ahead, 9-7.
The Fairfield bullpen did their part to wrap up the victory and their spot in the regional final, as Oliphant, Michael Sansone, and John Signore held the Sun Devils to just one run and five hits over the game’s final 5 1/3 innings. Signore closed out the game for the Stags by striking out the lone batter he faced.
Fairfield Notes
- With their 39th victory of the season, Fairfield extended their new single-season program record for total wins.
- Cullen’s third-inning home run was his third for the season.
- Guerrera drove in a game-high three runs for Fairfield. Other players tallying RBIs include Cullen (2), Handal (2), and Strollo (2).
- Dan Ryan led the Stags with three hits, finishing the day 3-for-5 with two runs scored. Ryan was one of seven Stags to record a multi-hit game.
- Michael Sansone earned the victory for Fairfield, holding the Sun Devils to just three hits over three shutout innings of work and striking out a game-high three batters.
- Signore made his second appearance of the Austin Regional, earning his second save of the season in the process.
Following the conclusion of the regional championship game, Fairfield catcher Matt Venuto and outfielder Mike Handal were named to the Austin Regional All-Tournament Team, joining nine Texas players. The complete All-Tournament Team can be found below:
| Position |
Name |
School |
| Catcher |
Matt Venuto |
Fairfield |
| First Base |
Zach Zubia* |
Texas |
| Second Base |
Mitchell Daly |
Texas |
| Third Base |
Cam Williams* |
Texas |
| Shortstop |
Trey Faltine |
Texas |
| Outfield |
Mike Antico* |
Texas |
| Outfield |
Douglas Hodo III* |
Texas |
| Outfield |
Mike Handal |
Fairfield |
| Designated Hitter |
Ivan Melendez |
Texas |
| Pitcher |
Pete Hansen |
Texas |
| Pitcher |
Tristan Stevens |
Texas |
| Most Valuable Player |
Zach Zubia, Texas |
*Denotes Unanimous Selection
For more information on the 2021 NCAA Division I Baseball Championship, visit
ncaa.com/baseball.
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) celebrates its 40
th year of competition during the 2020-21 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Manhattan College, Marist College, Monmouth University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.