GREENVILLE, N.C. – The Fairfield University softball team dropped both games on the second day of the Pirate Clash, hosted by East Carolina University. The Stags lost both games by an 8-0 count, falling to the host school in the first game and to Longwood University in the second contest.
In the opener, the Stags had the better of things early by creating the first scoring chance of the game.
Cara Kochakian started the rally with a lead off single before
Anna Paravati followed with another base hit. Paravati was thrown out going to second on the play to record the first out of the inning. A fly out and a ground out ended the threat and the inning for Fairfield.
East Carolina broke the scoreless tie in the third inning with three runs, using a double, an RBI single, and a two-run home run to secure the lead. The Pirates continued to tack on runs when they posted five straight hits to account for the runs. Three singles, a double, and a three-run home run gave East Carolina what it would need to end the game in five innings.
The Stags threatened throughout the game, picking up five hits and gaining base runners in all but the first inning. Fairfield registered another two-hit inning in the fifth inning when
Martina Gutierrez and
Charli Warren combined for singles to put runners on first and second with two outs but the rally ended one batter later on a ground out.
In the second game, Longwood University also used multi-run innings to gain the 8-0 five-inning win against the Stags. Fairfield put base runners on in each of the first three innings with
Delaney Whieldon stroking a two-out first-inning base hit, Paravati reaching first with a second-inning single, and a leadoff single by Gutierrez in the third inning,
While the Stags were having difficulty bringing in base runners, Longwood was able to plate three runs in the second and two more in the third inning. Between those two innings, the home team was able to push out five hits with three covering extra bases.
Fairfield will continue its three-day stay at the Pirate Clash on Sunday when it closes out the tournament with a single game against Marshall University. The two teams will see the first pitch at 10 am.
