STORRS, Conn. -- Tahla Brown posted a pair of hits while Lauryn Rhinehart added an RBI double but the Fairfield University softball team could not a four-run deficit against UConn as the Huskies earned a 4-1 decision over the Stags. 

The home team opened the game with a run in the bottom of the first inning after the Stags were retired in order. UConn started its rally in the bottom of the first with a pair of hits from the first two batters. The Huskies could not manage another hit in the inning but took advantage of an error and a pair of wild pitches to push the game's first run across home plate.

Fairfield garnered its first base runner of the game when Brown laced a two-out single to left field but was unable to get any beyond the base before the third out was recorded. The Huskies used a similar plan as the first inning when the Huskies placed the first two runners on base to lead off the fourth inning. After a base hit and a walk put a runner in scoring position, UConn followed with an RBI single and an RBI ground out to move its advantage to 3-0.

The Stags placed another runner on base when Brown collected her second hit of the game, a single with one out in the fifth inning. The next two hitters went down on strikes to end the potential rally and stranding the base runner at first base. In the sixth inning, Fairfield put two runners on the paths for the first time as Haley Updegraff earned a walk and took second after Charli Warren's bunt single. But, a pair of fly balls ended the potential scoring chance and kept the deficit at three runs.

UConn tacked on one more run with a leadoff triple followed by a ground out that brought the score to 4-0 in the sixth inning. Fairfield averted the shutout with a run in the seventh inning when the team put together back-to-back doubles by Drew Westford and Lauryn Rhinehart with two outs. Rhinehart pitched all six innings for the Stags, scattering eight hits and striking out three hitters.

Fairfield returns to Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) play this weekend when it travels to Monmouth University on Friday for a rescheduled doubleheader with first pitch scheduled for 1 pm. The Stags will host Saint Peter's University on Saturday at Alumni Softball Field for a noon twin bill.