FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield University softball team continues its season-opening road trip with six games on the West Coast. The Stags, who have already played games in North Carolina and Delaware, will play a single game against California Baptist University on Wednesday before opening a five-game slate in a tournament hosted in Fullerton, playing Toledo and Cal State-Fullerton on March 7, North Dakota and Utah State on March 8, and Yale on March 9.
Fairfield won one of three games at the Blue Hen Invitational, picking up a win over Bucknell behind a complete-game effort from pitcher
Alyssa Weinberg. Outfielder
Charli Warren also chipped in with a pair of hits and two RBI while
Megan Forbes and
Allie Bridgman each stroked a pair of hits in the victory.
Anna Paravati continues to pace the offense with her .375 batting average, slightly higher than Forbes' .297 hitting percentage. Weinberg builds off her early season success in the pitching circle especially in terms of strikeouts, fanning 12 in 22 innings.
Cal Baptist has won nine games through its first 19 outings, winning its last two games over Idaho State and Cal Poly. Kayla Lyon represented the team's top offensive threat with a .429 batting average in addition to her 10 doubles and 10 RBI. Presley Hosuk and Morgan McConnell each have a team-high three wins from the circle with Hosuk fanning 20 batters in 10 appearances and McConnell adding 25 strikeouts in 11 appearances.
In the tournament, Fairfield opens with the University of Toledo which comes in with a 9-10 overall record. Eli Enriuez owns a .500 batting average in addition to 13 stolen bases in 14 attempts. Pitcher Sophia Knight has five of the team's nine victories, registering a 2.18 EA with 39 strikeouts in 54 innings.
Cal-State Fullerton owns an 11-9 overall record behind the efforts of Megan Delgadillo's .493 batting average and 14 stolen bases in as many attempts. Pitcher Staci Chambers has won six of her nine decisions with 23 strikeouts in 24 innings.
North Dakota has posted five wins on the young season with Makaela Carr pitching the team to three of those victories. Johanna Rodriguez has enjoyed a quick start to 2024 with her team-leading .297 batting average and six RBI.
Utah State is even by posting a 9-9 record through 18 games, winning four of its last seven dates. Alex Bunton has been the team's top run producer with 10 RBI, 14 runs scored, and three home runs so far. Denay Smith earned three wins to pace the pitching staff along with her 1.19 ERA and one save.
Yale will try to build on its 1-8 overall record, a slate which includes a victory over Loyola-Chicago. Elena Che owns a .304 batting average, recording team highs in doubles (2) and RBI (5). Emma Taylor posted the win over Loyola-Chicago which aided her with a team-best 2.55 ERA.
