FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- It's been a long time coming for the Fairfield University softball team as the Stags will play their first home game of the 2019 campaign on Tuesday afternoon. The team will host Seton Hall University at Alumni Softball Field with first pitch scheduled for 3 pm.

The Stags were originally slated for their first home game on March 13 but field conditions were not conducive for a game on their home diamond. Instead, Fairfield went up Interstate 95 and played the game at Yale University, a game which the Stags won by a 3-0 count. The Seton Hall game represents the first of three non-conference games on their home diamond, also hosting Columbia University on April 17 and the University of Hartford on April 28.

Head Coach Julie Brzezinski's squad enters this game with a 12-9 overall record after playing seven games last week. Of their 21 games played, the Stags have nearly a perfect split between road and neutral site games. The team has a winning record at both locations, sporting a 6-4 mark in true road games and a 6-5 mark in neutral site contests. Now, the team turns its focus to its home field where Fairfield owns a .618 winning percentage over the last five years (47-29) which includes three campaigns with 10 or more home wins. 

Mikayla Rubin and Sam Merino both come off an impressive week as each student-athlete registered 11 hits in the seven-game stretch. Rubin posted a .500 batting average over the seven days while Merino was not far behind with her .458 hitting percentage. Rubin's week allowed her to take over the team lead with 29 hits in her 21 starts, leading to a team-best .426 batting average among starters. Amanda Ulzheimer is next in line with a .389 batting average in her 16 starts, stroking 21 hits and scoring 13 runs. Merino and Courtney Hankins are the only Stags with more runs scored, crossing home plate 17 and 14 times respectively.

Freshman pitcher Katie Kudlacik is responsible for half of the team's 12 wins, sporting a 6-2 record in her 11 appearances. She has completed four of her seven starts this year and also boasts a team-high 38 strikeouts in 49.2 innings pitched (5.4 strikeouts per seven innings). Karisa Hughen and Lauryn Rhinehart comprise the other six wins for the staff, each winning three games. 

Seton Hall brings an 11-14 overall record with two of those wins coming in Big East play. The team opened conference play last weekend, falling to Villanova in the opener before rebounding with two straight wins against the Wildcats. The team has already played a pair of Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) schools, defeating Saint Peter's at home (6-0) but falling to Marist at home (8-1).

Hailey Arteaga continues to hover around the .400 mark for the season, checking into Tuesday's action with a .395 batting average. She leads the team in several offensive categories including hits (30), RBI (19), and doubles (11). She has sits at the top of the team list for productive outs, posting four of the team's six sacrifice fly balls. Janae Barracato is also off to a quality start with a .300 hitting percentage which has led her to score a team-high 19 runs in her 25 appearances. She places second among her teammates with 16 RBI.

In the pitching circle, Reganne Camp has registered the most victories with her 4-6 record, tossing 53 innings with 56 strikeouts. Kelsey Gumm has developed into the team's closer with three saves and a win in her 14 appearances.

After this game, Fairfield will begin MAAC play with a pair of away dates this weekend. The Stags open conference play with a doubleheader at Marist on Saturday followed by a road twin bill against Siena on Sunday. Both doubleheaders are scheduled for a noon start.