POMONA, NY (May 25, 2024) – 2024 MAAC Regular Season Co-Champions No. 2 Niagara University and No. 1 Fairfield University will clash in the 2024 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Baseball Championship Series tomorrow at Clover Stadium in Pomona, NY. The Purple Eagles and Stags secured their spots in the championship series with Niagara defeating Mount St. Mary’s University in the winner’s bracket final and Fairfield played its way out of the loser’s bracket with wins over Marist College and Mount St. Mary’s.
No. 2 Niagara 8 | No. 4 Mount St. Mary’s 6
Clover Stadium | POMONA, NY
Box Score
Leading off the day in the winner’s bracket final, No. 2 Niagara (37-15) held off No. 4 Mount St. Mary’s (22-33-1), 8-6. The Mountaineers took the early 3-0 lead, platting a trio of runs in the second inning coming from a two-run single by Evan Meier and an RBI from Evan Smith. Trailing by two-runs in the fifth, the Purple Eagles found their stride putting together a four-run frame which was capped off by Nick Monile’s two-run single to center field, which brought home Matt Ward and Vincent Mauro for the game-tying and go-ahead tallies. After Mount St. Mary’s cut its deficit to one run in the top of the seventh, Niagara scored three runs in the bottom half of the inning, to take a commanding 8-4 lead, which stood until the ninth inning. With two down and one on, in the final inning, Jayson Kramer hit a two-run blast to keep the Mounts comeback hopes alive, but that would be the last score for the team and Niagara would hold on for the 8-6 victory.
Niagara Notes and Notables
- Three Purple Eagles had a multi-hit day as the team connected on 12 hits.
- For the second straight game in the tournament Brady Desjardins led the Purple Eagles with three hits (3-for-5), adding two runs and an RBI.
- Ward reached base four times, drawing a pair of walks and going 2-for-2, while scoring a run and batting in a run.
- Kelly Corl was 2-for-5 and drove in a run.
- Steven Hospital (2-2) earned the decision out of the bullpen, in 1.2 innings pitched.
- Liam Reynolds recorded the final out with a strike out, picking up his third save of 2024.
- Niagara secures its spot in the championship series for the second time in program history, only making it once prior 19 years ago in 2005.
- The Purple Eagles will face Fairfield tomorrow at 12:00 p.m. and will be seeking their first ever MAAC Championship trophy.
Mount St. Mary’s Notes and Notables
- Leading the Mount was Shane Wockley with three hits in his five plate appearances.
- Kramer went 2-for-3 at the plate, with a home run, a double, and three runs batted in.
- Meier had a pair of RBIs and Efrain Correa Jr. was 1-for-3 with a run scored and a double.
- On the mound, Brendan Yagesh (2-4) entered the game in relief and received the defeat after 2.2 innings of action, with three Ks and four runs suffered, one being earned.
No. 1 Fairfield 11 | No. 6 Marist 8
Clover Stadium | POMONA, NY
Box Score
In the afternoon’s first elimination game, it was nothing short of fireworks, as No. 1 Fairfield (33-23) stopped upset minded No. 6 Marist (19-35), 11-8 in a wild battle. Over the course of the first three innings, the top-seeded Stags dominated, jumping out to a 7-1 advantage. Fairfield’s lead was spearheaded by six runs in the bottom half of the third inning. During the rally, Zach Selinger hit a three-run rocket to right center, literally sending the ball out of Clover Stadium into the back parking lot. That dinger upped the score to 5-1, before the Stags added runs off of Nick Sturino’s triple and a sacrifice fly by Dean Ferrara. Marist’s comeback bid commenced in the fifth when a single at the pitcher coming off the bat of Bayram Hot, forced a throwing error at first base which allowed two Red Foxes baserunners to advance home (7-3). In the sixth, down four, Marist composed its best frame of the afternoon with five runs and its first lead of the contest. The Red Foxes gained their first two tallies behind a fielding error, which cut the deficit to 7-5. Then, with two runners on, Ethan Conrad hit a missile over the right center wall, for three-runs and an 8-7 lead, capping off a 7-0 run for Marist. In the bottom of the seventh, Fairfield recouped its lead by way of a two-run homer off the bat of Luke Nomura to center field, putting the Stags ahead 9-8. Fairfield would add two additional insurance runs in the eighth, and close the season on Marist in the ninth, with a 1-2-3 inning.
Fairfield Notes and Notables
- All but one starter for Fairfield registered one of the team’s 13 hits, with five players logging multiple hits.
- Going 3-for-6 with a home run, two RBIs, and a run scored was Nomura.
- Ferrara (2-for-3), Sturino (2-for-4), Tyler Kipp (2-for-4), and Ethan Hibbard (2-for-5) rounded out the multi-hit players for the Stags.
- Ferrara drove in two runs, scored a run, had a double, and a walk.
- Sturino finished with two runs batted in, a run scored, a triple and drawn walk.
- Kipp had an RBI and a run, while Hibbard safely made it home twice.
- Fairfield used the arms of three pitchers; starter Bowen Baker, and relievers Kevin Kell and Blake Helmstetter.
- Kell (2-0) was the winning pitcher, tossing 2.0 shutout innings allowing two hits and striking out two batters, while Helmstetter recorded his second save on the year after going 1.2 innings with one K and allowing no runs.
Marist Notes and Notables
- Conrad and Hot both went 3-for-5 in the final game for the Red Foxes.
- Conrad had an impressive day with a homer, three RBIs, three runs, and a double.
- Hot recorded one RBI.
- Danny Moshie also logged one run and one run batted in and Colin Mackle scored twice in the defeat.
- Logging 2.0 innings on the mound, Brian Yetter (1-5) was the losing pitcher following a four earned run performance.
No. 1 Fairfield 7 | No. 4 Mount St. Mary’s 6 (10 innings)
Clover Stadium | POMONA, NY
Box Score
In the final elimination game of the championship, Fairfield earned a walk-off 7-6 win over Mount St. Mary’s in extra innings, to secure their spot in the championship series for the second straight year. The Mountaineers reeled off four runs in the third inning, taking a 4-0 lead. Fairfield pulled within a single run in the fourth, behind a two RBI single coming from Paul Catalanoa and an RBI single by Dean Ferrara. In the top of the fifth, Efrain Correa Jr drove in the Mount’s fifth run of the night, taking a 5-3 advantage. The Stags knotted the game in the sixth led by Ethan Hibbard’s solo homer and Luke Nomura RBI double. Still tied up in the eighth inning, Jayson Kramer put the Mount back in front with his solo dinger to right field. In the bottom of the ninth with one down, Tyler Kipp hit a shot down the right field line, driving in the game-tying run and sending the game into extra innings. Fairfield would only need one extra inning, sealing the victory in the 10
th, when Nomura hit the game-winning single that propelled Hibbard home and sent the Stags into the title matchup.
Fairfield Notes and Notables
- The Fairfield quartet of Nomura, Hibbard, Matt Bergevin, and Matt Bergevin each had two hits.
- Nomura and Paul Catalano drove in a team-leading two runs apiece.
- Hibbard and Nick Sturino led the lineup with two runs scored.
- Peter Ostensen (3-2) was the victorious pitcher, pitching the final 2.0 innings of the game, striking out three.
- This marks the fourth time in the past five seasons that Fairfield is playing in the championship series, and the program’s seventh overall final.
- Despite their recent success, the Stags have failed to win a MAAC crown their previous three trips, having last hoisted a MAAC title in 2016.
- Fairfield will be seeking their fifth MAAC title in program history.
Mount St. Mary’s Notes and Notables
- Efrain Correa Jr. was 2-for-5 with a double and three RBIs.
- Kramer drove in two runs and scored a run himself.
- Scott Seeker scored a team-most two runs.
- Deven Sheerin (6-5) put in 3.2 innings and struck out six batters, but gave up the game-tying and walk-off runs to receive the loss.
For all information regarding the 2024 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 43rd year of competition during the 2023-24 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius University, 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. Merrimack College and Sacred Heart University will join the MAAC as full members in the 2024-25 academic year, expanding the conference to 13 institutions.
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