FAIRFIELD, Conn. – After a successful Fall season and a productive preseason, the Fairfield University softball team is ready to embark on the 2024 campaign. The Stags will travel to East Carolina University as one of four participants at the Pirate Clash. Fairfield will join Marshall University, Longwood University and the host school for a three-day, five-game event from February 16-18.
Head Coach
Julie Brzezinski will lead her team into a pair of games on the opening day, playing Marshall University at 11 am before taking on East Carolina at 4 pm. The tournament continues with Fairfield facing East Carolina at 3:00 pm with a Longwood coming up at 5:30 pm. The event comes to a close on Sunday when the Stags play Marshall for the second time, beginning at 10 am. A web stream will be available for Fairfield's two games against East Carolina through
Pirate All-Access.
While Fairfield will play its first games of the season, the other participants have already played a few games. Marshall stands at 2-3 overall which includes a season-opening loss to nationally-ranked Arkansas as well as a sweep of Michigan State University. Longwood brings a 1-5 overall record into the weekend, dropping a pair of games against nationally-ranked Alabama and splitting a twin bill with Villanova. East Carolina is unbeaten through seven games, sweeping Saint Joseph's and Cleveland State as part of the Charleston Invitational last weekend.
Fairfield will look to offset its opponents early season experience by relying on a group of seasoned student-athletes who will return after helping the Stags post 22 wins a year ago and advance to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) tournament.
In the pitching circle,
Allie Bridgman continued to be the team's dominant hurler after tossing 103 innings during the 2023 season. She owned a team-best 2.78 ERA with 59 strikeouts, secured six wins, and added a shutout to her credit.
The emergence of
Alyssa Weinberg was a boost to the pitching staff as the rookie contributed both as a starter and as a closer. Weinberg earned six wins and added five saves to her 2023 totals and averaged nearly a strikeout per inning pitched. She fanned 81 hitters in 87.2 innings pitched for an average of 6.46 strikeouts per seven innings.
Bailey Taylor also adds a proven pitcher who can contribute both as a starter or as a reliever, winning one game and earning one save in her dual role last season. She struck out 14 batters in her 15 innings of work and was part of two combined shutouts.
Fairfield has a group of hitters that should build upon last year's numbers, beginning with All-MAAC outfielder
Charli Warren. The junior paced Fairfield's offense with a .342 batting average, collecting a team-best 51 hits in 47 starts along with 24 stolen bases in 29 attempts.
Megan Forbes, who has earned innings as a designated player, an first baseman, and a catcher, ended the season with a .250 batting average along with a team-leading nine doubles and 14 RBI.
Delaney Whieldon showed her skills in her first season with the Stags as the freshman started all 46 of her appearances in 2023. The catcher posted the best batting average against non-conference foes last year with a .350 mark before settling on a .270 hitting percentage for the season. She represents the team's returning leader in RBI with 23, just three off the team overall lead a year ago.
Following this weekend's tournament, Fairfield will an off week before embarking on a slate that sends the Stags to the University of Delaware for a tournament with Bucknell University, the University of Maine as well as the host from March 1-3 before embarking on a West Coast trip that includes six games in an event co-hosted by Cal State-Fullerton and Long Beach State from March 6-9.
