FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- The Fairfield University softball team begins a four-game run through Pennsylvania and Delaware this week, starting with a single game at Villanova, continuing with a doubleheader at Delaware State, before finishing with a single contest with Lafayette. The three-day stretch is only half of an eight-game itinerary that will continue over the weekend with an appearance at the Stony Brook Invitational Tournament.

The Stags will look to build on three victories last week that extend the team's winning streak to eight games, a stretch which started with a five-game sweep at the Stetson Invitational last weekend. Fairfield improved its overall record to 11-3 with this current string of games after picking up a win at Yale and earning a sweep of Hartford over the weekend. The three games represented Fairfield's first dates that were not played in North Carolina or Florida but lengthened the team's run of 14 straight games without a home game. Head Coach Julie Brzezinski had scheduled last week's game against Yale as a home game but weather forced the game from Fairfield's diamond to the turf field at Yale. The Stags will now play their home opener on Tuesday, March 26 against Seton Hall, a single game that is slated for a 3 pm first pitch.

Fairfield's success remains in the hands of senior Courtney Hankins, who added three more RBI to bring her season total to 19 through the first 14 games. The senior, who was named the MAAC Player of the Week last week, batted .375 over the three games at Yale and Hartford which raised her season batting average to .356 with 16 hits in her 14 starts. Only junior Amanda Ulzheimer has collected more hits thus far, stroking 20 hits with two doubles and a triple to her credit. 

Freshman Tahlia Brown enjoyed her best week as a Stag with her .625 batting average over the three-game run (five hits, eight at-bats) which improved her batting average to .444, the best average among Fairfield's rookie class. She helped her team's cause when she ripped a three-run double in the first game of the Hartford doubleheader, a hit that turned a close 2-0 game into a 5-0 lead in the second inning. Classmate Maria Telle also put together a good week by batting .429 in her two starts with three hits in seven at-bats along with quality play behind the plate.

Three different Fairfield players earned a victory last week with Karisa Hughen leading the way with her four-hit shutout  over Hartford. The senior fanned five batters in her six innings of work to remain unbeaten with a 3-0 mark. Lauryn Rhinehart tossed the first five innings of the Yale win, allowing two hits, before yielding to Lacey Olaff, who also surrendered two hits over the final two innings to earn her first career save in her first collegiate appearance. Katie Kudlacik also earned a victory to raise her record to 5-1 in this young season, the most wins by any pitcher on the Fairfield staff.

Villanova will host the Stags on Tuesday, looking to even up its record which currently stands at 12-13 overall. The Wildcats went 1-3 in their four games at a tournament hosted by the University of Maryland last weekend. The team's victory came against MAAC team Saint Peter's University, a 12-1 setback on Saturday evening. Paige Rauch represents the team's top hitter with a .357 batting average that includes 25 hits in her 25 starts. She also has six home runs with 20 RBI, just slightly above Julia DaCosta's season totals of six home runs and 18 RBI. Rauch also serves as a pitcher on the Wildcats' staff, owning a 7-6 record with a 2.38 ERA in 76.1 innings pitched.