Box Score

OLD WESTBURY, N.Y. - The Fairfield University baseball team edge NYIT, 9-8, this afternoon in non-league action at President's Field. Junior Matt Tiagwad (Mt. Laurel, N.J.) and rookie Mark Skrapits (Bronx, N.Y.) accounted for seven of the Stags' nine runs as Tiagwad drove in three and score once while Skrapits drove finished with two RBI and a run scored.

Tiagwad got things started for the Stags (2-6) in the top of the first as a smacked a double to left center to drive in Ryan Furbeck (Oakland, N.J.). Tiagwad came around to score on a bloop single by David Dudish (Olney, Md.) to put Fairfield on top 2-0. The Bears (2-7) answered in the bottom half of the inning as Brian Smith scored on a sac fly by Effrey Valdez. The Stags got the run back in the top of the second as Bill Rafferty (Guilderland, N.Y.) scored on a single by Skrapits to shallow left center.

NYIT tied it up, 3-3, in the bottom of the third with back-to-back RBI doubles by Smith and Valdez. A Fairfield miscue in the bottom of the fourth inning allowed the Bears to take the lead on a sac fly to deep center by Dane Hardy.

The Stags tied it up in the top of the sixth inning as pinch hitter Carmine DeVito (Plainview, N.Y.) worked the count full with two outs and drew the bases loaded walk to force home Tucker Nathans (Warwick, N.Y.).  The inning continued as Skrapits and Furbeck each walked to push a pair of runs across the plate and give the Stags a 6-4 lead. Tiagwad gave the Stags a four-run advantage with a single to right center which scored DeVito and Skrapits.

The Bears got two of the runs back with one swing of the bat in the bottom of the seventh as Smith homered to left field to pull NYIT within 8-6. In the top of the eighth, rookie Anthony Corso (Haworth, N.J.) in his first collegiate at-bat homered deep to left center to make the score 9-6. NYIT got the run back in the bottom of the frame and rallied in the bottom of the ninth inning as Steve Faulker drove in a run to pull NYIT within 9-8 but the Stags were able to hold them off for the win.

Junior Kevin Fico (Stamford, Conn.) got the win, going six innings, scattering four runs, two earned, on four hits with a pair of strikeouts. Junior Justin Servino (Mt. Vernon, N.Y.) picked up his first collegiate save pitching the ninth inning

Fairfield is back in action tomorrow when it travels to St. John's. The Stags return to Old Westbury, N.Y. on March 15 to finish the season series with NYIT.