POMONA, NY (May 25, 2023) – No. 1 Fairfield University, No. 2 Rider University, and No. 3 Canisius College all earned wins on Thursday during the second day of action at the 2023 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Baseball Championship at Clover Stadium in Pomona, NY. Thursday’s three winning teams along with No. 4 Quinnipiac are the final four squads remaining heading into day three of the championship.
No. 1 Fairfield 8 | No. 6 Manhattan 7
Clover Stadium | POMONA, NY
Box Score
The day began with No. 1 Fairfield (35-16) surviving a late comeback attempt from upset minded No. 6 Manhattan (22-33). 24 hours after scoring a huge upset win, the Jaspers picked up where they left off, scoring the game’s first three runs over the first two innings by way of a two-run home run from Jack Lynch and an RBI single from Frankie Marinelli. The highlight inning for Fairfield would prove to be the bottom of the second where the top scoring team in the MAAC mustered up a five-run, five-hit stanza. Matt Bergevin got the second inning rally going as the leadoff hitter with a solo shot down the left field line to spark the run. The Stags would add three more runs, with all of them coming courtesy of dingers. In the fifth, Ethan Hibbard blasted a two-run homer to left field, followed by Noah Lucier connecting on a solo bomb to left field in the sixth, which extended Fairfield’s advantage to 8-4. Despite the deficit, Manhattan battled back to pull within a run behind a trio of runs in the seventh and eighth innings. In the ninth, the Stags closed out the game with a 1-2-3 frame to hang on for the win.
Fairfield Notes and Notables
- Hibbard (2-for-3) was the lone Stag with multiple hits, recording one home run, and one double.
- He was also the team leader with three runs batted in and two runs scored.
- 2023 MAAC Player of the Year, Charlie Pagliarini, had a pair of RBIs and drew a pair of walks, while Lucier, Bergevin, and Paul Catalano all added one RBI each.
- Bergevin, Lucier, Catalano, Mike Becchetti, Mike Handel, and Matt Bucciero all crossed home plate in the win.
- Starting pitcher, Jake Noviello (7-3) went 6.1 innings on the mound, striking out three, while giving up six earned runs in the winning effort.
- Lucier’s home run in the bottom of the sixth was Fairfield’s 91st of the season, setting the MAAC single-season home run record, surpassing the 2009 Canisius record of 90.
- The Stags advance in the winners bracket and will play Rider tomorrow at 11:00 am.
Manhattan Notes and Notables
- The Jaspers used three pitchers in the game, which combined to strikeout 12 batters.
- Tyler Fagler (2-5) got the nod in the game and pitched 1.2 innings where he struck out two and gave up five earned.
- Marinelli went 3-of-5 at the plate, scoring two runs and batting in one run to lead Manhattan.
- Lynch (2-for-4) and Pete Durocher (2-for-5) also finished with a multi-hit game, with Lynch producing three RBIs and three runs scored.
- Alfredo Delgado was 1-of-4 with two RBIs.
No. 2 Rider 8 | No. 4 Quinnipiac 0
Clover Stadium | POMONA, NY
Box Score
The second game of day two was all No. 2 Rider (33-18), as the Broncs earned a dominating 8-0 shutout win over No. 4 Quinnipiac (29-25), who advanced into today’s round after scoring 13 runs yesterday afternoon. Rider ace, Frank Doelling, held the Bobcats to just one hit and only allowed two baserunners through the game’s first six innings. Inversely, Rider plated four over the timespan, scoring one run in the first, third, fourth, and fifth innings. The Broncs would maintain the four-run advantage until the eighth inning when the unit doubled-up their score behind four runs, off of two hits and two errors by the Bobcats. In that frame, Brian Skettini hit a double to right center, clearing the loaded bases and driving in three runs which solidified the win.
Rider Notes and Notables
- Doeling (6-2) picked up the shutout win, tossing seven scoreless innings, striking out four, walking one and giving up four hits.
- Freshman pitcher Clayton Poliey closed out the outing, pitching the final two innings where he allowed one hit and struck out two.
- Rider’s top of the order and cleanup batter all led the way with two hits each – John Volpe (2-for-5), Scott Shaw (2-for-3), Skettini (2-for-5), and Luke Lesch (2-for-4).
- Skettini had a game-high three RBIs, and Lesch had two RBIs and a home run.
- A trio of Broncs scored two runs and they included Volpe, Shaw, Jordan Erbe.
- The Broncs will battle top-seeded Fairfield in the winners bracket final tomorrow at 11:00 am.
Quinnipiac Notes and Notables
- Three Bobcats combined for all five hits in the meeting, led by Anthony Donofrio (2-of-3) and Sean Swenson (2-of-4), while McGwire Tuffy had one hit.
- On the mound, right handed starting pitcher Mason Ulsh (3-2) was the loser after also going seven innings where he struck out five batters, gave up eight hits, and squandered three earned runs.
- The Bobcats fall into the elimination bracket where they will play again tomorrow afternoon at 3:00 pm against Canisius.
No. 3 Canisius 8 | No. 6 Manhattan 7
Clover Stadium | POMONA, NY
Box Score
In a rematch of the championship’s opening game, No. 3 Canisius (26-24-1) got its revenge by surviving a late-game rally by No. 6 Manhattan (22-34), to advance in an elimination game for the second consecutive night. Leading 2-1, the Golden Griffins took control of the game in the sixth, adding three runs behind five hits to open up a 5-1 lead. The Jasper would get a run back in the seventh but left three stranded with bases loaded for the second time in the game, only cutting the deficit to 5-2. Manhattan plated one more in the top half of the eighth, but Canisius responded by pouring in three more scores in the bottom half of the inning, taking a commanding 8-3 lead into the ninth. Despite trailing by five runs, the Jaspers refused to go down without a battle, scoring two runs early in the inning and then adding two more runs with two outs. With bases loaded, Canisius was able to record the final out and avoid falling to Manhattan for the second time in the championship.
Canisius Notes and Notables
- Five players posted two hits in the winning effort to lead Canisius.
- Max Grant was 2-4, Mike DeStefano went 2-5, Kenny Dodson and Kyle Kush both hit 3-4, and Carlin Dick was 2-3.
- Dick led the way with three RBIs and a run scored
- DeStefano had two RBIs and one run.
- Dodson made it home on three occasions to lead the Griffs.
- Tom Peltier (2-5) got with win, putting in 5.1 innings of action with two strike outs and giving up one earned run.
- Bryan Aduddle was awarded with the save.
- Canisius will play in its third straight elimination game tomorrow afternoon at 3:00 pm against Quinnipiac.
Manhattan Notes and Notables
- Alfredo Delgado (2-for-5), Trevor Santos (2-for-5), and Trevor Hansen (2-for-4) were the top hitters for the Jaspers.
- Hansen led the team with a pair of runs batted in and a run scored.
- Santos scored two runs, while batting in one.
- Starting pitcher, Connor O’Neill (1-7) struck out three, but gave up five runs on eight hits in five innings of work in the losing effort.
- Manhattan left 14 runners on base in the setback, which included having the bases loaded on three separate occasions.
For all information regarding the 2023 MAAC Baseball Championship, please visit
maacsports.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) is in its 42nd year of competition during the 2022-23 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona University, Manhattan College, Marist College, Mount St. Mary’s University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.
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