BUIES CREEK, N.C. -- It may not have been a historical weekend, but it has certainly been a few years since the Fairfield University softball team put up the offensive numbers that it did through the Campbell Stampede this weekend. Rainy weather played havoc with the tournament schedule, forcing the Stags to play this morning before returning to Connecticut. But the inclement weather and its influence did not seem to matter to the Stags' offense as it reached double digits again with today's 10-1 win over Campbell University.

The team won two of its three games down south which is the best three-game start to a season since the 2013 campaign when Fairfield also started with a 2-1 mark after posting a win over East Carolina and adding a split against Liberty. And, Fairfield's 26 runs scored to start 2019 is the best total since the 2013 squad opened its campaign with 34 runs through the first three contests. But this year has a different cast and it's a group that has shown that it can compete in all aspects of the game.

Freshman pitcher Katie Kudlacik made her inaugural start for Fairfield and the freshman did not disappoint as she allowed one run while striking out 10 hitters and scattering four hits. Senior Courtney Hankins reached base in all four plate appearances, collecting a pair of hits, two walks, and adding three RBI. Sophomore Mikayla Rubin also chipped in with a pair of hits and three RBI as Fairfield pushed runs across home plate in five of the game's seven innings.

"We had an aggressive mentality today on offense and in the circle," Head Coach Julie Brzezinski said. "Katie competed well in her first start as a Stag, both feeding her defense and getting swings and misses. We did a good job adjusting to and knocking out their pitchers throughout our lineup. Courtney and Mikayla had big hits to break the game open."

Hankins opened the game with an RBI double to right center that brought Sam Merino home with the game's first run in the top of the first inning. Rubin doubled the Stags' advantage when she stroked a run-scoring single to left field that brought Merino around the bases for the second time in the game. Campbell enjoyed its only threat of the day in the bottom of the fourth inning when Megan Monzingo opened the inning with a single and advanced to second with a stolen base. Abby Perryman punched a single to center field that gave Campbell it's lone run of the game as Monzingo raced home to make the score 2-1 in favor of Fairfield.

The Stags tallied two more runs in the top of the fifth inning without recording a hit. Campbell pitching issued one walk and hit three batters to produce the team's rally. Kaleigh MacDonald scored the first run when she was forced home from third base after Drew Westford was hit by an errant pitch. Rubin scored the team's fourth run when she was walked home after Madison Robicheau worked out a walk. The sixth inning was just as productive for the visiting team as Rubin sliced a two-run single to right field and Westford tacked on the team's seventh run with her fielder's choice.

Fairfield put the game out of reach when it added three more runs in the seventh inning, highlighted by Hankins two-run single and Merino's RBI base hit. In the bottom of the seventh, Kudlacik closed out the game by picking up one ground out and fanned two more Campbell batters that brought her game total to 10 strikeouts. The left-handed pitcher owns a 0.72 ERA and has tossed 9.2 innings over her two appearances.

Coach Brzezinski brings her team home today before departing once again for the Tar Heel State to play at the University of North Carolina tournament which will include George Washington University, UNC-Greensboro, Florida Atlantic University, and the tournament host. Fairfield will open the three-day event by playing UNC at 6 pm on Friday, March 1.