DELAND, Fla. -- The Fairfield University softball ended its five-game trip to the Sunshine State with a 5-3 setback against Mercer University, giving the Stags a 3-2 mark in their season-opening road trip. Madison Robicheau earned two of the team's RBI and added a double to her performance this afternoon. Fairfield managed seven hits in the contest with Charli Warren collecting a pair of singles.

After Mercer took a 1-0 lead, Fairfield tied the game in its next at-bat, a rally which began with Delaney Whieldon and Robicheau combining for back-to-back one-out doubles. The home team regained the lead in its half of the inning, using three hits to plate the go-ahead run. The Bears clicked once again in the third inning, putting together another multi-hit inning. 

Mercer pushed the lead to 5-1 in the fourth inning, taking advantage of three Fairfield errors and stroking a pair of hits to score two more runs. A great start to the sixth inning allowed Fairfield to make things more interesting for the fan base. Quinn McGonigle opened the inning with a single up the middle and took two bases following Kaitlin Hoffman's double which placed two runners in scoring position. Megan Forbes brought home the first run of the frame with a ground out to the right side, bringing the score to 5-2. Robicheau responded with her second RBI by lofting a sacrifice fly to left field for the Stags' third run. 

In the seventh inning, Warren made it possible for the tying run to come to the plate in the seventh inning when she beat out an infield chopper with one out. The next two Fairfield hitters were retired on an infield popup and a grounder to end Fairfield's rally hopes.

Fairfield used three pitchers in the game with Alyssa Weinberg, Samantha Lindsay, and Bailey Taylor each pitching two innings each. Taylor was the lone pitcher in the trio to keep Mercer off the scoreboard, by not allowing a hit during her time in the circle.

The Stags have a lengthy layoff before returning to the diamond in March. Fairfield has another five-game set when it heads south to the University of Virginia for a tournament that includes Saint Francis University, DePaul University, George Mason University, and the host school. The event takes place from March 3-5.