BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Fairfield University softball team fell into the elimination bracket on Thursday after the team fell to top-seeded Canisius College by a 6-0 score. The Stags will face the winner of the Mount St. Mary's University-Iona University elimination game on Friday at 1:30 pm.
The Stags battled against a strong pitching performance from Megan Guise, who struck out the first five Fairfield hitters to start the game before
Anna Paravati broke the string with a fly ball out. Sam Lindsay drew the start for Fairfield and worked out of trouble in the first inning before surrendering a solo home run to catcher Gianna Fazzolari to open the second inning. Lindsay finished out the inning without allowing any more runs to keep the game at 1-0..
In the middle innings, Fairfield was able to put the bat on the ball more often but the Griffs were able to track down each ball and keep the Stags hitless through six innings. While the visiting team tried to get its collective footing in the batter's box, Canisius seemed to find its stroke in that same time frame.
The Griffs picked up a pair of unearned runs against reliver
Alyssa Weinberg in the third inning to add to its lead, taking advantage of a fielding error and a throwing error on the same play which scored the first run and setup the second. The score went to 4-0 in the fifth inning when Christie McGee-Ross manufactured a run with a bunt single and a stolen base before moving up on a fly ball to center field and scoring on another single.
The scoring came to a close later in the fifth inning after Fazzolari homered for the second time, a two-run shot that sent the score to 6-0.
Fairfield picked up its first hit of the game with two out in the seventh inning when
Kaitlin Hoffman lined a single to right field to give the Stags their third base runner of the game. Morgan Sylverstre and
Madison Robicheau represented the other two runners, both coming as a result of walk.
The Stags now face a situation which would require them to win a pair of games on Friday in order to advance to the Championship round. With at win at 1:30 pm, Fairfield would have to pick up another victory against the loser of the winners bracket game between third-seeded Marist College and Canisius College at 4 pm.
