The Fairfield University softball team partook in the University of Maryland Tournament this past weekend in College Park, Md. The crew played a total of four games, with two being held on Saturday, March 16, and with the remaining two taking place on Sunday, March 17.
The extravaganza commenced at 1 p.m. on Saturday, with the Stags taking on Purdue University Fort Wayne in the first set of the doubleheader. After a ground out from infielder Martina Gutierrez ‘26 sent catcher Delaney Whieldon ‘26 home to make it 1-0 at the top of the second inning, the Stags took things a step further in the third. Singles from infielder Morgan Sylvestre ‘25 and pinch hitter Allie Bridgman ‘24 put Whieldon in a very comfortable position. Whieldon did not become too comfortable, belting a shot to deep center field for her first long ball of the season to make it 4-0 Stags. The Mastodons scored a run of their own at the bottom of the third, trimming the Stags lead to 4-1 heading into the top of the fourth.
Fairfield delivered another three-run rally at the top of the fourth. A double from Gutierrez started things off. A triple from outfielder Charli Warren ‘25 sent home her compadre to snag back the Stags four-run lead. A Syvelstre single allowed Warren to take a full run around the bases to make it a 6-1 game. A hit-by-pitch from teammate and outfielder Quinn McGonigle ‘26 advanced Sylvestre to second, while then running back to home plate after another single from graduate student and outfielder Megan Forbes to make it 7-1. The Stags did not score again throughout the rest of the game, but held on to defeat the Mastodons 7-4 after seven innings of play.
There was more softball to be played, as the Stags next took on Lafayette University at 3:30 p.m. Three scoreless innings of softball were held thanks to the efforts of pitcher Chela Kovar ‘27, who struck out two Leopards and only one hit in the process. Lafayette scored the first run of the game at the top of the fourth to make it 1-0 before Fairfield quickly responded with one of their own. With no runners on base, Slyvestre sent a deep ball over the left field fence for her first homer of the campaign to tie the game up at one run apiece.
A pitching duel continued to follow between Kovar and Lafayette’s Kailee Sawai for the next two innings, sending the game to the top of the seventh inning remaining tied, 1-1. Unfortunately, the Leopards found a way to break through, as a four-run rally placed them firmly in the driver’s seat with a 5-1 lead. The Stags then made a spirited effort at the bottom of the seventh, scoring two runs of their own, but it was not enough, as Lafayette stole victory with a 5-3 triumph.
The Stags returned to play for day two of the tournament the next day on St. Patrick’s Day, beginning with a 10 a.m. tilt with Bryant University. A five-run rally by Bryant at the bottom of the second inning doomed the Stags in this contest, as the club suffered a 7-1 defeat at the hands of the Bulldogs. Bridgman was the only Stag to register anything on the box score, as she sent a deep shot to center field at the bottom of the fourth for her second homer of the season. Following the Bryant tilt, the Stags played the hosts of the tournament, the University of Maryland at 12:30 p.m. The Stags did get off the ground running in this contest though, as a Warren walk eventually set up Bridgman to send a shot over the left centerfield fence to make it a 2-0 Fairfield lead at the top of the first. It was all Maryland after that sequence, however, as the Stags departed home for Fairfield falling short, 10-2.
The Stags will travel across town to take on Sacred Heart University on Wednesday, March 20 at 3 p.m. before kicking off their conference season by hosting Iona College this weekend from March 22-24 at Alumni Softball Field. For more information on the Fairfield University women’s softball team, please visit www.fairfieldstags.com.
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