LOUDONVILLE, NY - After playing 23 of its first 24 games on the road, Siena Baseball embarked upon its first home series of 2019 Saturday afternoon at Connors Park. The Saints split conference doubleheader action with Fairfield, dropping the series opener 6-4 in 12 innings while earning a 3-0 shutout victory in the nightcap.
 
Game One: Fairfield 6, Siena 4 (12)
Mike Caruso hit the decisive two-run home run in the top of the 12^th inning to propel Fairfield (14-14, 5-3) to the series-opening victory. The teams traded solo runs in the 11^th inning, before the Stags prevailed in 12 in a marathon first game.
 
Fairfield out-hit Siena (8-18, 4-4) 14-9, but stranded 14 runners on base. The teams exchanged the lead multiple times over the early innings, before Brendan Conley drew the Saints even one final time in regulation at 3-3 in the home half of the sixth with his first collegiate home run.
 
The Stags claimed a 4-3 lead in the top of the 11^th on an RBI single from Anthony Boselli, but Siena responded in its final at-bat with a game-tying single off the bat of Evan St. Claire. The freshman's hit nearly won it for the Saints, but the potential second run was cut down at home plate to preserve the tie.
 
Caruso took advantage, depositing the game-winning two-run home run over the left field wall in the following frame as Fairfield secured its ninth win in its last 10 games.
 
Senior ace Tommy Miller went the first nine innings while having to settle for a no-decision in his first bid at breaking the program's all-time career wins record. Miller did however set a new program career record for innings pitched, while scattering nine hits and three runs (two earned) over his nine innings of work.
 
Austin Pope went seven strong for Fairfield, while Eli Oliphant surrendered just one run on four hits over four innings of relief to earn the win.
 
Game Two: Siena 3, Fairfield 0 (7)
Conley homered for the second straight game and Brendan White tossed a complete game four-hit shutout with eight strikeouts as Siena secured the split.
 
The Saints manufactured singular runs in the first, second, and fourth innings. A wild pitch brought home the first run of the contest in the first, while Conley homered in the second and Tim Carroll contributed an RBI single in the fourth.
That proved to be more than enough for White who recorded each of his first five strikeouts swinging, while only allowing one run to reach third base in the contest.
 
The decisive rubber game of the series is set for Sunday at noon.