FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield University softball team picked up a sweep against Manhattan College in the regular-season finale for both teams with the second victory coming in walk-off fashion.. The Stags won the opener by a 5-0 score behind a three-hit shutout from senior Katie Kudlacik and the second game by an 8-7 count after scoring seven runs in the final two innings. The wins extended Fairfield's winning streak to a season-long 11 games, surpassing an eight-gamer earlier in the season.

With the victories, Fairfield secured the number two seed in this week's Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Tournament which will be hosted by regular-season champion Canisius College beginning on Wednesday. The top two seeds do not have to play their first game until Thursday, adding more importance to Fairfield's late-inning rally.

The opening game saw pitcher Katie Kudlacik work her way through some trouble in a few innings but the lefthander kept things in control for the majority of the game. The senior earned her 10^th win of the season after scattering three hits to earn another complete game shutout, her fourth of the season.

The game was scoreless through the first five innings as Manhattan starter Jessie Rising was equally as effective inside the pitching circle, yielding just three hits going into the sixth inning. But it was the sixth that proved to be the difference in this game as Fairfield scored five runs to take a commanding advantage into the seventh inning.

Charli Warren started the sixth off by earning a walk and putting herself in scoring position with a stolen base. Megan Forbes shot a grounder through the right side of the infield to give a 1-0 lead to the Stags. Tahlia Brown's wind-swept double allowed Forbes to come around and score for a 2-0 lead before Kasey Sekura drove in the third run with an RBI single. A wild pitch and an error accounted for Fairfield's final two runs, setting up Kudlacik for the seventh inning. She surrendered a single in the inning but was never really in trouble in the Jaspers' final at-bat.

The second game went a little differently for Fairfield as Manhattan scored the game's first run in the top of the first when Lauren Rende stroked a lead-off single, stole second, and came home on RBI single from Marika Deemer. Fairfield tied the game in the second inning when Drew Westford's infield single was misplayed into an extra base for the base runners which sent Megan Forbes home with the tying run.

The Jaspers appeared to break the game open with five runs in the third inning by turning four hits and three walks into five runs. The visitors tacked on another run in the fourth inning that brought the score to a gaudy 7-1.

The Stags used another round of late heroics in this contest, scoring four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to breathe life back into the third-base dugout. Mikayla Rubin brought home the first run with an RBI single while Westford chased home the second run with a ground out. Maddie Robicheau collected a two-run, two-out single to close out the scoring and bring the deficit down to two runs at 7-5.

The comeback was completed in the bottom of the seventh inning as Fairfield cashed in on four more hits that accounted for their three runs in the frame. Rubin slashed an RBI single that made the score 7-6, bringing in Charli Warren who earned a bunt base hit to start the rally. A misplayed pop up allowed Forbes to come across home plate with the tying run, setting up setting up Westford for the game-winning single to end the game.

Bailey Taylor earned the win after tossing four scoreless innings in relief of starter Lauryn Rhinehart and reliever Sam Linday. Taylor allowed just three hits and did not walk a batter during her time in the pitching circle.

Fairfield now sets it focus on the MAAC Tournament with its first game scheduled for Thursday. Game times and pairings will be announced later this evening through the MAAC Softball Championship Central webpage.