JERSEY CITY, N.J. – Fairfield swept a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) baseball doubleheader on Monday. The Stags won the opener 7-4 and then took the nightcap 8-2.
Jon Kristoffersen (Jefferson, N.J./Jefferson Township) paced the Peacocks (5-17, 0-5 MAAC) with four hits, one RBI and a run scored while Ariel Ramirez (San Domingo, Dominican Republic/Babeque) added three hits, two RBIs and a run scored in the loss.
Ryan Plourde fueled Fairfield (8-11, 4-1 MAAC) with two hits, three runs scored and three RBIs. Jake Salpietro added three hits, two runs scored and two RBIs while Rob LoPinto posted two hits and two RBIs in the opener.
In the opener, the Stags scored the first four runs of the game and never looked back to earn the 7-4 win.
Salpietro gave Fairfield a 1-0 edge with an RBI single up the middle in the first inning. Sal Ciccone added a run-scoring double down the right field line in the second before the Stags scored on an error after a double steal and a throwing error to take a 4-0 lead after three innings.
Saint Peter's got on the scoreboard in the fifth after Nick Henriquez (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) walked and came around to score on Ramirez's RBI single to trim the margin to 4-1. Kristoffersen then single up the middle and Fairfiield threw out Ramirez trying to go to third before Vinny Maietta (Franklin Square, N.Y./St. Mary's) could touch home.
The Stags added two more runs in the sixth on a LoPinto RBI single and a throwing error to increase its margin to 6-1.
In the seventh, the Peacocks scored twice to cut the score to 6-3. Maietta opened the inning with a triple to left center before Zach Rawson (Ashburn, Va./Broad Run) walked. Ramirez plated Maietta on an RBI infield single and then Kristoffersen singled and Rawson came home on an error.
LoPinto then added an RBI single in the eighth to increase the lead to 7-3.
In the ninth, Ramirez walked and came around to score on Kyle Grimes' (Iselin, N.Y./John F. Kennedy Memorial) run-scoring double to set the final score at 7-4.
Zach Hopf (Woodbridge, N.J./Woodbridge Township) took the loss despite allowing six runs (two earned) on eight hits with five strikeouts in six innings of work.
The Stags continued its offensive outburst in the second game with four runs in the first on their way to an 8-2 victory.
Salpietro started the four-run first with a ground-rule RBI double down the right field line fore two runs scored on an error and a fourth run came home on a bases loaded walk for a 4-0 lead.
Plourde then hit an inside the park three-run home run in the third to increase the lead to 7-0.
Kristoffersen got Saint Peter's on the scoreboard with an RBI single to right center to plate Sean Henry (Brick, N.J./Brick Township), who scored after singling up the middle to start the third.
Billy Zolga plated the seventh run on a triple to right center.
Saint Peter's added a run in the sixth to set the final score to 7-2 thanks to an error
Jon Leiter (Toms River, N.J./Toms River South) took the loss for the Peacocks.
Saint Peter's returns to action on Wednesday at LIU Brooklyn. Game time is 3 p.m.
