WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. -- The Fairfield University softball team dropped a pair of games at Monmouth University, falling by an 8-0 score in the first game and getting edged 2-1 in the second game in walk-off fashion. Outfielder Sam Merino accounted for the team's only run today, launching a solo home run in the top of the third inning of the nightcap.

Pitcher Lauryn Rhinehart kept the home team in check for the first two innings, not allowing a hit or a run to start the day. The Hawks broke through in the third inning though, stringing together seven hits and sending home five runs to take command of the game. Monmouth scored all five of its runs before recording an out, a run that consisted of five hits and a walk before reliever Lacey Olaff earned a strikeout for the first out of the inning.

The Hawks ended the game in the fifth inning when they plated three runs to secure an eight-run lead, the scoring coming off a two-run triple and a throwing error that allowed the final run to cross the plate. Fairfield managed  four hits in the game with the top of the order securing three of those hits. Leadoff hitter Amanda Ulzheimer picked up a single while Alisha Marshall had two singles. Rhinehart was responsible for the team's other hit, a fourth-inning single that represented the team's final base runner.

The second game proved to be a thriller as the two starting pitchers battled their way through seven innings of work. Fairfield took its only lead of the game in the third inning when Merino secured her fourth home run of the season, putting the sophomore into a tie for the team lead with Courtney Hankins. Monmouth tied the game in the bottom of the bottom of the fourth inning in a nontraditional way. With runners on second and third, a Monmouth hitter popped the ball up in foul territory which was handled by an infielder. However, the Hawks were able to score on the play which knotted the score at 1-1.

The game was decided in the seventh inning when the Hawks started their half of the frame with a leadoff double. The runner advanced to third base on a wild pitch but did not score on the first out which resulted in a pop up to shortstop. With one out, the next Hawk was hit by a pitch to put runners on the corners. The Stags decided to issue an intentional walk which loaded the bases, but the plan was spoiled with a single up the middle that chased home the winning run.

Katie Kudlacik was in the pitching circle for the entire game as the Stag allowed eight hits and struck out batters in her six-plus innings of work.