Volpe’s Walk-Off Single Advances Rider in MAAC Baseball Championship Round; Top-Seeded Fairfield Survives Elimination Game
No. 1 Fairfield University - 3 | No. 2 Monmouth University - 1
2021 MAAC Baseball Championship Round - Game 3
Alumni Diamond | Fairfield, CT
With his team facing elimination, Jake Noviello struck out seven and surrendered just one run in a career-best outing of 8 2/3 innings to help Fairfield University (36-2, 33-1 MAAC) defeat Monmouth University (24-13, 22-10 MAAC) and advance in the MAAC Baseball Championship Round. The Stags would score all three of their runs in the bottom of the first inning, with Noviello and the Stags defense maintaining the lead the rest of the way. Monmouth would manage to cut their deficit in the top of the ninth on an RBI single from Dixon Black, but John Signore would enter the game for Fairfield to strike out the game’s final batter and secure the victory.
Fairfield moves on to face Canisius College in an elimination game of Friday, May 28, at 9:30 a.m., with the winner then playing Rider University at 1 p.m.
Fairfield Notes
- With their 36th victory, Fairfield has set new program record for total wins in a season.
- Noviello notched his eighth win of the season, tying the Fairfield program record.
- Mike Becchetti opened the scoring for Fairfield in the bottom of the first with a sacrifice fly to score Mike Handal. Charlie Pagliarini would follow Becchetti by delivering a single into left field to bring in two more runs.
- Dan Ryan’s two hits was the only multi-hit performance for Fairfield. He would also hit a triple in the bottom of the second.
Monmouth Notes
- Trey Dombrowski had an impressive relief outing for the Hawks, allowing just four hits over 7 1/3 shutout innings and tallying seven strikeouts.
- James Harmstead led Monmouth in hits with two.
No. 3 Rider University – 4 | No. 4 Canisius College - 3
2021 MAAC Baseball Championship – Championship Round, Game 4
Alumni Diamond | Fairfield, CT
Coming into the game as a pinch hitter, John Volpe delivered a walk-off single to lift Rider University (22-16, 18-16 MAAC) over Canisius College (20-15, 17-13 MAAC), and put the Broncs within one victory of clinching the 2021 MAAC Baseball Championship. After trailing by two runs for most of the game, the Broncs would answer in the eighth inning with a single from Jordan Erbe to bring home two runs and make it a 2-2 game. Canisius would regain the lead with one run scored in the top of the ninth, setting the stage for Volpe in the bottom of the inning.
Rider’s next game is scheduled for Friday at 1 p.m., when they will play the winner of Fairfield and Canisius.
Rider Notes
- Seven players tallied hits for the Broncs, with Erbe, Kyle Johnson, and Luke Lesch all tying for the team lead with two.
- Starting pitcher Frank Doelling would go six innings for the Broncs, allowing just two hits and two runs while striking out eight.
- Rider was 2-for-2 in pinch-hit opportunities, including Volpe’s walk-off single.
Canisius Notes
- Jacob Martins would get the Canisius offense going in the top of the second inning, hitting a double to right field that allowed two runs to score. Martins’ two RBI was the team high.
- Jacob Victor would earn one RBI on a sacrifice fly in the ninth inning.
- Ryan Boyer wrapped up his start with five shutout innings for the Griffs, striking out six and only surrendering four hits.
2021 MAAC BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND SCHEDULE
Hosted by Fairfield University | Fairfield, CT
|
| Wednesday, May 26 |
Match-Up |
Time |
Network |
| Game #1 |
No. 1 Fairfield 1 vs. No. 4 Canisius 4 |
11:00 a.m. |
ESPN+ |
| Game #2 |
No. 2 Monmouth 5 vs. No. 3 Rider 9 |
3:00 p.m. |
ESPN+ |
|
|
|
|
| Thursday, May 27 |
|
|
|
| Game #3 |
No. 1 Fairfield 3 vs. No. 2 Monmouth 1
(Elimination Game) |
11:00 a.m. |
ESPN+ |
| Game #4 |
No. 3 Rider 4 vs. No. 4 Canisius 3 |
3:00 p.m. |
ESPN+ |
|
|
|
|
| Friday, May 28 |
|
|
|
| Game #5 |
No. 1 Fairfield vs. No. 4 Canisius
(Elimination Game) |
9:30 a.m. |
ESPN+ |
| Game #6 |
No. 3 Rider vs. Game 5 Winner |
1:00 p.m. |
ESPN+ |
|
|
|
|
| Saturday, May 29 |
|
|
|
| Game #7 (If Necessary) |
Game 4 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner |
TBA |
ESPN+ |
The 2021 MAAC Baseball Championship Round continues from Fairfield University with Day 3 on Friday, May 28. All championship round games will be broadcast live on ESPN+. For more information on the 2021 MAAC Baseball Championship, 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) celebrates its 40
th year of competition during the 2020-21 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Manhattan College, Marist College, Monmouth University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.