MERION STATION, Pa. – The Saint Joseph's baseball team opened its weekend series with Fairfield on Friday, falling to the Stags, 7-2, at Smithson Field.

HOW IT HAPPENED
• Neither team got anything going offensively until the fourth, when Fairfield (3-4) notched an unearned run on a groundout by Matt Venuto.  The Stags doubled their lead in the sixth on a single by Ryan Strollo.

• The Stags tacked on three more on back-to-back doubles by Mike Becchetti and Matt Bergevin in the seventh.

• In the bottom of the frame, Saint Joseph's (4-4) cut the deficit to three on a triple by Jake Artz and a single by Liam Bendo, but a two-run double by Strollo in the ninth set the final margin.

BEHIND THE BOX SCORE
• Michael Sansone earned the win after allowing two runs on four hits in seven innings to improve to 2-0 on the season.  Peter Ostensen allowed one hit in two shutout innings for his first save of the year.

• Ian McCole fell to 0-2 after allowing two runs, one earned, on seven hits in six innings.  He struck out six and did not walk a batter.

• Andrew Cossetti led the Hawks with a pair of hits and a run scored.

UP NEXT
The Hawks and Stags will continue the series at Smithson Field on Saturday afternoon.  Game time is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.