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Wappingers Falls, NY - Fairfield (30-24) broke open a close game with three runs in the seventh en route to posting a 5-2 win over Manhattan (23-30) in game three of the 2016 MAAC Championships at Dutchess Stadium.
The Jaspers will next face the winner of No. 3 Monmouth/No. 5 Marist on Thursday, May 26 at 7:00 pm in an elimination game.
After being held hitless over the first three innings, freshman Fabian Pena (Miami, FL / Calusa Prep) made the first Manhattan hit count with his team-leading eighth home run to left field to open the scoring in the top of the fourth.
Fairfield responded with two runs in the bottom part of the frame as Michael Conti reached via two-base error before scoring on Jake Salpietro's RBI single up the middle. Salpietro then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and came around on a Mac Crispino's RBI single
The Jaspers would threaten to tie the game up over the next three innings but were unable to get anything across the board each time.
In the bottom of the seventh, the Stags opened up a 5-1 lead with three runs.
Manhattan would answer with a run in the top of the eighth as junior Jose Carrera (Miami, FL / St. Brendan) led off with a double to left center before scoring on a Pena one-out single to left field.
Unfortunately, that would be as close as the Jaspers would get in dropping the aforementioned 5-2 decision.
Pena, the MAAC Rookie of the Year, went 3-for-4 with a home run and both Manhattan RBI while junior Jason Patnick (Hopewell, NJ / IMG Academy) had a pair of hits to pace an eight-hit attack.
Junior RHP Joey Rocchietti (Green Brook, NJ / Watchung Hills) fell to 5-6, allowing five runs, four earned, with two strikeouts over 7.0 innings while senior RHP Michael Scarinci (Nanuet, NY / Pearl River) fired a perfect inning of relief.
Salpietro and Jack Gethings each had three hits to pace the Fairfield offense while Gavin Wallace (8-4) earned the win, striking out six over 7.2 innings of work.
