Despite a recent four-game slide, the softball team is still in contention in MAAC play.
Over the weekend, Marist swept the Stags, dropping a 6-2 and a 5-3 decision. Their record fell to 9-17 overall and 3-3 in the conference.
However, several games have been postponed to due inclement weather, and it is still too early to tell which way Fairfield’s season will go.
“We’re at 3-3, but it’s way to early, especially in the MAAC, to tell. We’ve already played three of the top teams [in the MAAC],” said Head Coach Julie Brzezinski.
Fairfield currently sits fifth out of nine teams in the conference.
“I think our offense could progress a little more and adjust to pitchers throughout the game. Our pitching is looking for a little more consistency. Defensively, we are pretty good. Overall, we are ok, but there are little areas we need to improve on,” said Brzezinski.
Offensively, the Stags are led by Julia Jacoby ’08, who leads the team with a .367 average and a .532 slugging percentage.
Erin Frank ’08 is another player hitting well. She is one of only two other players besides Jacoby hitting over .280 for the Stags.
On the rubber, Fairfield has relied mainly on Cagney Ringnalda ’07.
She leads the Stags, working 82 innings with an ERA of 3.76.
Yet, Fairfield’s overall ERA stands at 5.55. It doesn’t help that their opponents limit them to 3.26 runs per game.
However, the Stags have also gotten support from an unlikely source.
One player Brzezinski did not count on making an impact this season was freshman Megan Borst.
“She has gone beyond our expectations,” said Brzezinski. “We didn’t expect too much from her pitching, but she has done a lot for us on the mound.”
“Offensively, she has done what we expected. She jumped into the five spot and picked up some of the slack,” she added.
Borst has the second lowest ERA on the team at 4.45 while pitching 45 2/3 innings. She has also struck out 33 batters while yielding only 12 walks.
Her hitting has come around as well. She is hitting .283 for the year, second on the team. She is also tied for the lead in home runs at four with fellow pitcher Cagney Rignalda and leads the team in RBI’s with 17.
Borst said she didn’t expect to get this much playing time her first year but came to Fairfield because it was the right fit.
“I loved the school, I loved the team, and I liked the coach,” said Borst.
No matter what her reasoning, she is having a huge impact in her first season.
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