FAIRFIELD, Conn. – A pair of wins this afternoon led to a good news, bad news scenario for the Fairfield University softball team. By virtue of its 4-3 and 7-1 wins over Manhattan College on Sunday afternoon, the Stags earned a piece of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) regular-season title, tying Canisius College with a 15-5 conference record. The bad news is that two of Fairfield's five losses were against the Golden Griffs, giving Canisius the right to host next week's MAAC tournament in Buffalo.

                Still, the two victories completed a strong regular-season finish for the Stags. After winning one of its first four MAAC games, Fairfield won 14 of its last 16 conference match ups. And, today's sweep allowed the Stags to hit the .500 mark for the first time this season at 21-21, quite the accomplishment since the squad started the year with a 1-9 mark.

                It was appropriate that today was Senior Day at Alumni Softball Field as the team's three seniors all figured into the sweep. Sam Frungillo drove home three runs in the second game, including the first two of the game which proved to be all the team would need in its 7-1 win. Frungillo also picked up a hit and an RBI in the opener. Sammy Ruffolo picked up a pair of hits with a run scored and an RBI, while Brianna Levick also had a hit and scored a run in the twin bill.

                In the first game, both teams would score all of their runs in one at-bat, beginning with a four-run fifth inning that started with a walk by Nicole Capra. After being sacrificed to second, Molly Roche ripped a single to right field that brought Capra home with the first run. Lauren Filicia followed with a triple to make it 2-0, and then scored off Ruffolo's sacrifice fly. Tori Reed started things up again with a single and promptly stole second to reach scoring position. Frungillo sent a single up the middle for the Stags' final run.

                The fourth run was key because Manhattan would score three runs in the top of the seventh, earning three walks to start the rally. Briana Matazinski brought home the first Jasper run, while the second crossed the plate despite a brilliant turn of a double play by Kristen Ball. The last run scored off a pinch-hit single from Andi Stallard. Nicole Gardon, who came in after the three walks, closed out the game with a grounder for the 4-3 win.

                In the second game, Frungillo gave Fairfield a fast start with a two-run double to left-center field that made it 2-0 after an inning. The Stags tacked on a run in the third inning as Frungillo walked and Ball tripled her home. Manhattan put a run on the board in the fourth inning to close the gap to 3-1.

                Fairfield broke the game open with three runs in the fifth inning, courtesy of a three-run pinch-hit home run from Roche. Destinee Pallotto went the distance to earn her ninth win of the season, yielding five hits and a walk against eight strikeouts.

                The Stags will play their first MAAC tournament game on Thursday when it plays the winner of the game between the three seed and the six seed.  The game time will be determined later. Check back on www.fairfieldstags.com for more MAAC Softball Tournament updates.