FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- The Fairfield University softball team will close out the regular season with an eight-game home stand that opens with a three-game set against Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) opponent Quinnipiac University. The Stags and the Bobcats will play a doubleheader on Tuesday beginning at 2 pm and finish up the series with a single game on Wednesday beginning at 3 pm.

Fairfield comes into the Quinnipiac series after dropping a three-game series at Rider University over the weekend despite some solid individual performances. Morgan Sylvestre extended her stellar season with another solid week, batting .333 over her four starts in addition to stealing a pair of bases in as many attempts. The infielder still ranks among the MAAC top hitters overall, bringing a .386 batting average into this week, a result of her team-best 44 hits in 39 appearances this season. 

Charli Warren and Allie Bridgman are also above the .300 mark for the season with Warren checking into the Quinnipiac series with a .315 hitting percentage, just a few points higher than Bridgman's .311 batting average. The duo also contribute in other ways offensively, all of which have translated into runs all season long. Warren leads the team with 14 stolen bases in 16 attempts and her 28 runs scored is nearly twice as many as runners up Megan Forbes and Sylvestre who have scored 15 times each. Bridgman has been driving in base runners through the campaign, registering a team-best 23 RBI which has been aided by her team-high four home runs.

The Stags have been using a five-pitcher rotation this year with three hurlers earning 19 or more appearances. Alyssa Weinberg has earned the most innings in the circle with 77.1 pitched over her 24 appearances. Bailey Taylor, who paces the staff with four victories, and Chela Kovar, who has three complete games to her credit, are next in line with 19 games pitched. Payton Shields has gained quality innings over the last two weeks, tossing 8.2 innings over three appearances with a 2.42 ERA.

Like the Stags, Quinnipiac is looking to gain traction in the MAAC standings over the next two days, entering the week with a 16-18 overall record and a 6-9 MAAC mark. The Bobcats dropped a three-game set with Niagara University over the weekend, including a heartbreaking 1-0 decision in the opener.

Natalia Apatiga has been setting the tone for the Quinnipiac offense throughout the season, holding a team-best .336 batting average with 12 RBI and five extra base hits. Kennedy Demott is also hovering above the .300 mark as her .321 mark places second among her teammates. Jaclyn Gonzalez and Sydney Horan have registered most of the innings inside the pitching circle with Gonzalez posting a team-best eight wins in 84-plus innings followed by Horan's six wins in 113 innings tossed. 

Following this series, Fairfield will return to the diamond next week with a pair of non-conference games, hosting Central Connecticut on Tuesday and Sacred Heart on Wednesday at Alumni Softball Field. Both contests are scheduled for a 2 pm first pitch.