DeLAND Fla. -- Kaitlin Hoffman collected four hits including a home run with four RBI to help the Fairfield University softball team open their 11-game Southern trip with a split. The Stags fell to Northern Kentucky by an 8-1 score in the opener before coming back to defeat Sacred Heart University with a walk-off 6-5 win.

The Stags scored a run in their first turn at the plate against Northern Kentucky, a rally that began with an infield hit by Amanda Ulzheimer. She advanced to second base after a ground out to the right side, setting up Hoffman for a run-producing triple that brought home the game's first run. However, that would be the only run scored in the game for Fairfield as Northern Kentucky picked up runs in the first, second, fifth, and sixth innings. Two of those innings resulted in three runs with Northern Kentucky stringing together four hits in the second inning to bring home three base runners and using three hits and taking advantage of an error to bring three more runs across home plate in the sixth inning.

Fairfield fared better in the second game against Sacred Heart, registering another early rally to provide support for starting pitcher Lauryn Rhinehart. Ulzheimer was in the middle of the Fairfield's offensive success in game two by reaching on an infield single that brought home Drew Westford with the game's opening run. Westford reached base earlier in the inning with a double and took third base off a wild pitch.After a pair of walks loaded the bases, Hoffman doubled the Fairfield lead with an infield single to the right side, making the score 2-0.

After Sacred Heart cut into the lead with a run in the third inning, Hoffman struck again with a solo home run that recaptured the two-run lead after four innings of play. The Pioneers tallied four runs in their half of the fifth inning, all unearned following a Fairfield error .The runs scored off a sacrifice fly, a two-run double, and another RBI two-bagger which gave Sacred Heart a 5-3 lead. The Stags erased one run off the deficit with a run in the fifth inning as Hoffman laced a single that chased Ulzheimer home to make it a 5-4 game.

The Stags won the game in walk-off style with two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning as Drew Westford placed a double to the gap to set up the game-winning rally. Haley Updegraff sliced an infield single and took second on the throw to both runners in scoring position. Madison Robicheau stepped into the batter's box and promptly brought home the tying run with an infield single. Ulzheimer also picked up an infield single that was enough to send Updegraff hone with the deciding run,

Rhinehart earned the win by tossing all seven innings, allowing just one earned run, scattering eight hits, and striking out three hitters.

Fairfield continues its run in the Stetson Invitational on Sunday with a game against the host school at 12 pm.