Redemption was in the air this week for the softball team, as the Stags earned four MAAC victories this week against Niagara and Canisius.
Last year Canisius came out of the loser’s bracket to beat No. 1 seeded Fairfield twice in the finals of the MAAC Tournament. On Monday, Fairfield swept the Golden Griffs 1-0 and 4-0. They beat Niagara 6-2 and 3-0.
The double sweep is what the team needed to clinch them a top seed in the upcoming conference tournament. The brackets haven’t been finalized yet, but with only one MAAC game left, the Stags know they will continue to stand strong in the league.
It is said that when winning a specific game is important to a team, they rise to the occasion. The Stags proved this to be true on Monday.
“There definitely was a little more desire, you could sense it, but any MAAC game adds incentive to win,” said outfielder Laura Sandonato, ’04.
Pitcher Melissa Santos, ’03, combined for 40 strike-outs in the two days and was named MAAC Pitcher of the Week. Center fielder Ellen Sarosy, ’03 once again came alive at the plate going 6-for-8 in the back- to-back games. Sarosy recently broke the school’s career hits record against St. Joseph’s University, and joined Santos with MAAC Player of the Week honors.
“She’s been a catalyst for us throughout her career,” said head coach Julie Brzezinski. “Ellen’s performance on the field and her leadership off the field has been instrumental in our success. She gives everything she has in every game – that’s something that cannot be taught.”
Fairfield will be hosting the MAAC Tournament this year for the first time on May 9-11 at DeLuca Field in Stratford. The games will not be played on Alumni Field, however the Stags will still have home field advantage.
“It’s our advantage because we have all played in Stratford before, and hopefully students will come to see us play and support us,” Santos said.
DeLuca field is utilized for premier summer softball games that many of the players participate in as well as for some of the Stags’ fall season.
“It will be like our home field, playing in a familiar place with familiar people,” added Sandonato. “We will adopt it as our own.”
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