FAIRFIELD, Conn. (Interstat) — The Fairfield Stags rallied from a seven-run deficit and scored five times in the eighth inning to defeat the Marist Red Foxes 12-7 on Sunday, May 10, 2026, at Webster Bank Arena in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game that started in the afternoon and stretched into the evening.

Fairfield improved to 24-20 overall, while Marist dropped to 19-28.

Left fielder Jake Haarde went 4-for-4 with two RBIs to lead the Stags. Center fielder TJ Schmalzle was 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs, and first baseman Connor Scanlan went 2-for-4 with three RBIs. For Marist, right fielder Chris Diaz hit a first‑inning grand slam and finished 1-for-5 with four RBIs. Shortstop AJ Brotz was 2-for-5 with one RBI.

Marist took a 7-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Brotz doubled and later scored on Diaz’s home run to right field that also drove in Noel Rivera and Nathan Lincoln. The Red Foxes added two more runs in the fourth on a Brotz RBI single that followed an error, but Fairfield had already begun its comeback.

The Stags answered in the bottom of the second when Connor Scanlan walked, advanced on a Haarde double and scored on a fielder’s choice by Liam McIlroy. In the third, Schmalzle and Nolan Colby singled, and Scanlan delivered a two‑run single through the left side. Haarde followed with a double that scored Scanlan, pulling Fairfield within 7-4.

Marist stretched its lead to 7-4 in the fourth on Brotz’s run‑scoring single. But Fairfield cut the margin to 7-6 in the bottom half when Schmalzle homered to left field, driving in Ryan Paine. The Stags tied the game 7-7 in the sixth after Schmalzle walked, stole second and scored on an error by Marist second baseman TJ Baer.

The decisive eighth inning began with the score still tied. Fairfield’s Paine singled, and Schmalzle singled to put runners at the corners. Colby’s sacrifice fly scored Paine. Matt Bucciero was intentionally walked, and JP Kuczik singled up the middle to plate Schmalzle. Scanlan then singled to drive in Bucciero. Haarde singled to center field for another RBI, and a passed ball allowed Scanlan to score the final run of the inning, making it 12-7.

Marist threatened in the top of the ninth with a one‑out single by Lincoln, but Diaz popped out and Kyle Pollack grounded into a double play to end the game.

Fairfield used five pitchers. Jack Sheldon worked 3.1 innings, allowing one earned run on two hits with one strikeout. Ryan Maiorano pitched 1.2 scoreless innings of relief, allowing one hit. Jimmy Mulvaney struck out three in a perfect inning, and Brendon Miller allowed one earned run over two innings with three strikeouts. Marist’s Steven Mazza pitched 3.2 innings, giving up one earned run on no hits with one strikeout.

Marist finished with 10 hits, two sacrifice hits and grounded into two double plays. Fairfield had 15 hits.

The game featured the third meeting between the teams in three days, following a doubleheader on Friday, May 8, that saw each team win once. Marist won the opener 4-3, and Fairfield won the nightcap 4-0.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Fairfield 6, Marist 5. Interstat’s ELO system gave Fairfield a 73.10 percent probability to win.