FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Lacey Olaff and Mikayla Rubin each recorded three hits and a home run to help the Fairfield University softball team earn a split with Manhattan College this afternoon at Alumni Softball Field. The Stags earned three wins in this weekend's four-game series with the Jaspers including yesterday's sweep of Manhattan.

              Pitcher Lauryn Rhinehart earned her second win in as many days with another brilliant performance in the pitching circle. Over the weekend, Rhinehart allowed just one run in her 11 innings in the pitching circle. After tossing five shutout innings in an 8-0 victory yesterday, the senior added five more scoreless innings today before finally relenting a run in the sixth inning today.

              In today's start, Rhinehart scatted six hits and fanned five without walking a batter today. The Stags offense gave her plenty to work with by scoring four runs in the first inning of the first game. Rubin sent the Stags in front with a two-run homer in the bottom of the first, a drive that also scored Sam Merino who led off with a walk. Back-to-back walks to Megan Forbes and Drew Westford set up a two-run double to center field by Lacey Olaff which closed the scoring.

              In the third inning, Forbes used a double of her own to add to the Stags lead, a shot to left field that brought home Rubin and improved the lead to 5-0. Forbes scored later in the inning after Olaff's grounder was misplayed to move the score to 6-0.

              That was all Rhinehart would need as she did not find too much trouble until the sixth inning when Vani Patel laced a triple with one out. Lily Fish was inserted into the game as a pinch runner and came home a few pitches later off a passed ball.

              In the second game, Manhattan used early runs to take control of the game, scoring two runs in the first inning and two more unearned runs in the second inning to hold a 4-0 lead. Fairfield could not put together too much off Manhattan starter Kali Puppolo, who kept Fairfield off the scoreboard until the final inning.

              Puppolo lost her shutout bid when Lacey Olaff led off the seventh inning with a home run that made the score 6-1. Haley Updegraff tried to get something started when she punched a base hit and made it to second later in the inning. The Stags could not muster any more hits and stranded the sophomore at the base.

               Despite the loss, Fairfield earned a quick start to a season that will only include games against Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) opponents. With each conference game having meaning in terms of playoff contention, the Stags winning three on the opening weekend provides the team with the start that Head Coach Julie Brzezinski wanted.

              "Going 3-1 is a very positive result in our first weekend of the season," Coach Brzezinski said. "We executed really well in all phases of the game in our wins and had some growing pains in our loss. It was great to be out on the field again. We jump right back into conference games next weekend so we need to build on the positives of the past two days."

              Fairfield will return to action on Saturday and Sunday as it is scheduled to host Marist College for a doubleheader on each day. Game time is slated for 12 pm both days.