POMONA, NY (May 25, 2025) – No. 2 Fairfield University won the 2025 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Baseball Championship title on Sunday, May 25 at Clover Stadium in Pomona, NY. The Stags defeated No. 1 Rider University, 7-6 in extra innings, securing their program’s fifth overall MAAC crown, the first since 2016.
No. 2 Fairfield, 7 | No. 1 Rider, 6 (10 inn)
Clover Stadium | POMONA, NY
Box Score
With a scoreless game through two innings, Fairfield was able to break up the offensive lull in the top of the third when Matthew Bucciero connected on a first pitch swing, hitting a single up the middle that brought Luke Nomura home from second, giving the Stags the first run in the game. The Stags added two more runs in the fourth beginning with a solo blast by TJ Schmalzle to right center, followed by an RBI single by Dean Ferrara allowing Nick Sturino to score. The two-run inning pushed Fairfield up 3-0. Over the next pair of innings, Rider was able get on the board starting in the bottom of the fifth where Matt Leahy laid down a bunt which scored Nick Shuhet. Then in the bottom sixth, Shuhet sent a shot up the middle, driving home Erich Hartmann which cut the deficit to one run (3-2). Both teams plated a pair of runs in the seventh. In the top half of the inning, Bucciero got another run batted in, sending a line drive down the right field line to score Nomura. The very next batter, JP Kuczik, singled up the middle, allowing Bucciero to round third and score standing up. In the bottom half of the frame, Rider’s Charley Magoulick slammed a solo homer to right center, pulling the Broncs within two, then Hartmann hit an RBI single up the middle to score Leahy and make it a 5-4 game. The game took a turn in favor of the Broncs in the bottom of the eighth. Magoulick drove in the game-tying run with a single to right field. Then, with runners on the corner, Rider successfully pulled off a double steal, with Magoulick stealing second and Leahy stealing home for the go-ahead run. Needing at least a run in the top nine, Fairfield’s Schmalzle singled up the middle; Bucciero scored, and the Stags tied the game at 6-6, eventually forcing extra innings. In the first extra frame, with two outs and no one on, Nolan Colby drilled a dinger over the right field wall to put Fairfield ahead one last time and secure the championship for the Stags.
Fairfield Notes and Notables
- Fairfield posted a scoreline of seven runs, 13 hits and one error in the win.
- The quintet of Bucciero, Kuczik, Nomura, Schmalzle, and Sean Meth led the Stags with multi-hit performances.
- Kuczik was the team leader in hits, going 3-for-5 at the plate with an RBI.
- Bucciero (2-for-4), Nomura (2-for-5), Schmalzle (2-for-4), and Meth (2-for-5) all finished with two hits.
- In addition to his two hits, Schmalzle reached base on balls once, hit one homer, had two RBIs, and scored one run.
- Bucciero accounted for four runs, scoring two and batting in another two.
- Nomura scored a pair of runs.
- Colby (1-for-5) was the hero in the championship, with his only hit of the day being the game-winning home run in the 10th inning.
- Fairfield starter, Kyle Lesler, tossed 5.2 innings, striking out eight batters.
- The winning pitcher was Blake Helmstetter (3-2), pitching the game’s final 3.0 innings in which he struck two batters out and gave up two runs.
- The title for the Stags is the fifth in program history, the first since 2016.
- This will be the third NCAA berth in program history for Fairfield, the first since an at-large bid in 2021.
Rider Notes and Notables
- Rider’s scoreline was almost identical to Fairfield’s, finishing with six runs, 13 hits and two errors.
- A quartet of Broncs posted multiple hits in the tilt.
- Leading Rider at the plate was Hartmann, going 4-for-5, with an RBI and run.
- Shuhet batted in a run and scored a run, and he hit 3-for-4.
- Magoulick and Will Gallagher each went 2-for-5 on the day and were the final two Broncs with multi-hits.
- Magoulick finished with a team-high two RBIs and a run.
- Rider closer Zach Silfies (4-2) got the pitcher decision after tossing 2.0 innings.
Championship Game Notes
- Fairfield is the third straight No. 2 seed to win the MAAC Championship and they become the eighth straight champion who was not the No. 1 overall seed.
- This was the third time in the Championship Series over the past five seasons Fairfield and Rider were the final two teams remaining.
- The two have combined to make nine appearances in the Championship Series since 2019 and at least one or both teams have made the series every season over that timeframe.
- For Fairfield, this was its eighth overall appearance in the title series and the fifth time over the past six seasons dating back to the 2019 championship.
- Despite the recent success, the Stags dropped the previous four Championship Series, which included two against Rider in 2021 and 2023.
Fairfield earns the MAAC automatic qualifier to the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship. The Stags will find out what regional they are headed to when the field of 64 is announced during the Division I Baseball Selection Show, which airs live on Monday, May 26 at noon on ESPN2.
| 2025 Baseball All-Championship Team |
| Name |
School |
| Tyler Hartley |
Marist |
| Lewis Rodriguez |
Marist |
| Alex Irizarry |
Quinnipiac |
| Christian Smith |
Quinnipiac |
| Erich Hartmann |
Rider |
| Charley Magoulick |
Rider |
| Nick Shuhet |
Rider |
| Bowen Baker |
Fairfield |
| Dean Ferrara |
Fairfield |
| JP Kuczik |
Fairfield |
| Luke Nomura |
Fairfield |
| Matthew Bucciero (MVP) |
Fairfield |
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 13 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 44th year of competition during the 2024-25 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius University, Fairfield University, Iona University, Manhattan University, Marist University, Merrimack College, Mount St. Mary’s University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Sacred Heart University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.
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