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Canisius University Athletics

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Kyle Kush smiles in the dugout with a smile painted on his cheek in eyeblack against Niagara on April 4, 2023
Ken Morey
10
Winner Canisius CAN 21-20, 13-5 MAAC
9
Fairfield FFD 28-15, 11-4 MAAC
Winner
Canisius CAN
21-20, 13-5 MAAC
10
Final
9
Fairfield FFD
28-15, 11-4 MAAC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 R H E
Canisius CAN 0 2 1 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 0 1 10 18 1
Fairfield FFD 1 0 2 1 2 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 9 12 1

W: Abramson, Joe (1-0) L: Buckley, Bo (1-1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Kush the Hero in Extra Innings Victory over Fairfield

Kyle Kush's solo shot in the top of the 12th inning proved to be the difference maker as Canisius defeated Fairfield in extra innings, 10-9, Sunday afternoon in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference action from the Alumni Baseball Diamond in Fairfield, Conn.
 
The Golden Griffins see their record improve to 21-20 on the season and 13-5 during conference action while the Stags record shifts to 28-15 overall and 11-4 in league play.
 
Pacing Canisius was Dylan Vincent and Jackson Strong who each had four hits in the contest. Strong also had a game-high four RBI's in the extra innings triumph. Kush was the only member of the Griffs to send a ball over the outfield fence while on the mound, Joe Abramson would secure his first win of the season, pitching a career-high 3.0 innings while fanning two batters and only allowing two hits.
 
Charlie Pagliarini led the Stags with three hits, one of which was sent over the outfield fence, and two RBI's with his teammate, Nick Sturino, also notching two RBI's of his own. On the mound, Peter Ostensen would leave the contest with a no decision after pitching 6.1 innings and allowing seven runs, 11 hits and earning three strikeouts. Bo Buckley would be charged with the loss for Fairfield.
 
Starting in the seventh inning with Fairfield leading 6-3, the Canisius offense would come alive with Vincent singling to first base to drive in J.T. Ennen and cut the deficit to one, 6-4. In the Griffs very next at bat, Strong would scorch his fourth hit of the day down the left field line for triple, clearing the bases and giving Canisius a 7-6 edge.
 
The Blue and Gold's offense did not slow down adding in two more runs before the frame ended, courtesy of RBI's from Max Grant and Ryan Weiss, to extend their lead by three, 9-6.
 
After a wild pitch in the bottom of the eighth inning from Levi Abbott allowed Fairfield to make it a 9-7 game, the Stags staged a late game rally with Matt Bucciero doubling to center field to make it 9-8. AJ Donofrio's would hit a game-tying single through the right side to force extra innings.
 
After a pitcher's duel over the first two frames of extras, Kush would become the hero in the top of the 12th inning as he sent a pitch from Fairfield's Bo Buckley over the center field wall to break the 9-all deadlock and give the Griffs a 10-9 lead.
 
In the bottom half of the frame, the Stags would get runners on first and second, but Abramson would force Sturino to ground out into a game-winning double play to secure the extra innings victory.
 
Earlier in the contest, Canisius would nix an early 1-0 Fairfield lead with a sacrifice play from Kenny Dodson before a Weiss single let the Griffs take a 2-1 lead in the top of the second.
 
Canisius would extend its lead in the top of the third off a Strong double that drove home Vincent, but Fairfield would control the middle portion of the contest, scoring five unanswered runs to take a 6-3 lead, setting the stage for the Griffs extra inning heroics.
 
Game Notes:
  • This was the first extra innings game for Canisius this season. The Griffs last extra innings contest was a 14 inning marathon at home against Niagara on May 8, 2022.
  • Canisius and Fairifled played went to extras for the first time against one another since March 25, 2018 in Buffalo. The Griffs would fall to the Stags in that contest, 1-0.
  • Strong's four hits match his season-high which he set on March 26 at Mount St. Mary's
  • Kush hit his first home run since March 28 against Binghamton
  • Vincent had four hits in a contest for the third time this season. He last had four hits in both games of the twinbill at Mount St. Mary's on March 26.
  • Abramson's win was his first since he was credited with the victory on March 12, 2022 at Charleston Southern.
 
Up Next:
Canisius will travel 20 minutes north to face Battle of the Bridge rival Niagara on May 9. First pitch from Lewiston, N.Y., is set for 3 p.m.
 
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