Although both lacrosse teams faced tough losses on Saturday, April 11, Fairfield’s softball team swept St. Peter’s in their doubleheader, bettering their overall record to 4-3 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.
In the first game, Fairfield blanked the Peacocks, finishing the game 11-0. Freshman Kate Robinson set the pace for the team in the first inning for the Stags.
After sending Sammy Ruffolo ‘15 home due to three errors on St. Peter’s behalf, the Stags were already up by one and had three runners on the base. With Robinson up to bat, she homered, putting her team ahead 5-0.
“Getting the homer was pretty surreal,” said Robinson. “It just felt good to help my team out and that’s all I care about.”
After St. Peter’s unsuccessful inning with 0 hits and 0 runs, Fairfield was up to the plate. After being hit by a wild pitch, Tori Reed ‘17 was sent to first base. With one on base, Sam Frungillo ‘15 sent herself and Reed back home with a two-run homerun in the bottom of the second inning. The rally ended for the Stags after Frungillo’s hit, but in the next inning, Fairfield continued to swing the bats.
Up by seven, Nicole Capra ‘16 and Brianna Levick ‘15 both got themselves on the bases after back-to-back singles. After Lauren Filicia ‘16 was hit by another wild pitch, the bases were loaded for the team. Ruffolo grounded out to second base, sending Capra home, while Reed hit a pop-up that allowed Levick to run home, and gave Filicia an opportunity to head to third base. On the same opportunity, Filicia advanced from third base to home after St. Peter’s error. After sending all on-base runners home, Frungillo kept the intensity going, singling out to right field. Although she stayed on the bases for two outs, Robinson sent her home, putting the Stags ahead 11-0 before closing out the third inning.
For the next three innings, neither Fairfield or St. Peter’s were able to get any runs in, but Fairfield still finished out on top 11-0 as they prepared to take on the Peacocks in round two.
“In the first game, the kids really came out and battled, they swung the bats, and just got them [St. Peter’s] right out of the game mentally,” said head coach Julie Brzezinski, “so I was really proud of them for that.”
In the second game, the Stags were forced to play their best game as St. Peter’s stayed neck-and-neck with the team throughout the duration of the six innings.
“They threw their number one pitcher against us in the second game and they stayed in games that way,” said Brezinski.
The Peacocks started off the second inning with a bang, sending a homerun to center field, putting them up by one. In the bottom of the second inning, Fairfield answered with two hits by Frungillo and Makenna DiGuilio ‘18 that sent two runners home, putting them ahead 2-1.
After a hitless and scoreless third inning, St. Peter’s Lee Harrison homered and posted two runs on the board for her team, giving them the lead 3-2. But once again, Fairfield cut the team’s lead after a single from Gianna Kinhofer ‘17 and a double from Robinson that sent Kinhofer home.
Now tied at 3-3, it wasn’t until the sixth inning that Fairfield was finally able to get ahead of St. Peter’s to secure the victory. Kinhofer was able to start off the inning with a double down the right field line. After Robinson was tagged out at first, Kinhofer was able to advance to third, and then home after a single by Capra.
“Gianna did a great job. She fought, she battled, and it wasn’t a pretty hit but we’ll take it,” said Brzezinski. “She made some good defensive plays that kept us in the game.”
The two wins against St. Peter’s extended the Stags winning streak to four games. Immediately following the games against the Peacocks, the team traveled to Siena on Sunday, April 12 where they picked up another two wins against the Saints. Finally able to get some playing time, the Stags are happy with where the team is going as they head into more intensive MAAC play.
“The MAAC is wide open right now,” said Kinhofer, “so I think we’re at a good point.”
