POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – Lauryn Rhinehart mixed her pitches and caught the corners for the entire game. The sophomore did not allow a hit in six of the seven innings in which she pitched. The right hander surrendered just two hits to third-seeded Siena College in the opener of the 2019 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) tournament.  Unfortunately, both hits wrapped around a walk to produce the game's only run and sent the Stags to the elimination bracket with a 1-0 loss.

                Fairfield will play the loser of today's second game, a matchup between fourth-seeded Iona College and fifth-seeded Niagara University on Thursday at 9 am.

                The Stags had several opportunities to put a run on the scoreboard, starting with the first inning. Leadoff hitter Amanda Ulzheimer opened the game with an infield single and went to second when Alisha Marshall executed a sacrifice bunt. But the next two hitters were retired on a ground out and a strike out to keep Fairfield in check.

                Rhinehart opened the bottom of the first inning by walking the Saints' first hitter but quickly settled in to retire the next three hitters to keep the game scoreless. Fairfield seemed poised to plate the first run of the game in its next at-bat, an inning which Rhinehart opened with a single up the middle.

                Sam Merino traded places with the Stags pitcher on the base paths with a fielder's choice. Lacey Olaff went with an outside pitch and sent a ball that appeared destined for right field. But a diving stop by the second baseman turned a single into an out, although Merino was able to move up a base. Cynthia Meringer also went opposite field with a line drive that took a diving stop by the left fielder to prevent a Fairfield run.

                With the score still stuck at 0-0, Siena broke through in the bottom of the third inning. A one-out walk seemed harmless especially after Rhinehart fanned the next Siena batter. But a pair of singles from Madysen Cossack and a run-producing base hit from Ananda Dodson followed and pushed the Saints in front by a 1-0 score.

                Fairfield went down in order during the fourth and fifth innings while Rhinehart kept things close by producing a 1-2-3 inning in the fourth and only a fifth-inning walk that never went past first base.

                The sixth inning appeared a little friendlier to the Stags when Madison Robicheau started the frame with a base hit. Ulzheimer advanced her with a bunt but Marshall and Hankins could not produce a game-tying hit.

                The seventh inning also showed promise when Merino sliced a base hit between shortstop and third base with two outs. She worked her way into scoring position with a stolen base but was stranded there following a game-ending strike out.

                Rhinehart's final numbers were impressive with two hits allowed against four strikeouts. Siena's Brooke Hughes pitched the first three innings before yielding to Maddie McMahon, who ended up with the victory.