FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield University softball team earned a split in today's doubleheader against Quinnipiac University, winning the first game by a 1-0 score in nine innings before succumbing in the second game by a 13-0 count in six innings.
The first game could be categorized as a classic as the Stags and the Bobcats were scoreless through the first eight innings, mainly because of the solid pitching performances from Quinnipiac's Sydney Horan and Fairfield's
Bailey Taylor.
Quinnipiac was able to produce hits off Taylor through out the first seven innings, collecting a single in four of those seven frames, but could not manage to push anyone across home plate. In fact, the Bobcats did not have a runner advance beyond second base until the ninth inning when a runner at second raced third on an infield single but was tossed out at the plate to end the inning.
Taylor yielded a lead off single to the opposition three times but proceeded to retire the next three hitters in each of those innings. Her counterpart was equally effective throughout the game. Horan surrendered a single in the first inning – a two-out single from
Allie Bridgman - but did not give up another hit until
Delaney Whieldon's base hit in the sixth.
In the decisive ninth inning,
Megan Forbes worked out a walk, took second base after
Anna Paravati's bunt, and grabbed third following a wild pitch. The next two batters reached base with
Danica Silvestri registering a base on balls and
Cara Kochakian reaching on a fielder's choice to load the bases. Martina Guitierrez ended the game with a hit over the center fielder's head to score the game's only run.
Taylor finished the contest with three strikeouts, all coming after the fifth inning, and scattered six hits in her complete shutout. The nine-inning performance was the longest outing of the senior's career at Fairfield.
In the second game, Quinnipiac scored in five of the six innings that were played including a single run in each of the first three innings. After the Stags were able to put up a zero in the fourth inning, the Bobcats came back with a single run in the fifth to push the lead to 4-0 before plating nine runs in the top of the sixth inning.
Fairfield was able to runners on the base paths during the game but could not find a way to bring any of those runners complete around the diamond. Delaney recorded two of the hits for Fairfield, while Sylvestre, Bridgman, and
Cara Kochakian each added a single.
The Bobcats and the Stags will close out the three-game series with a single game on Wednesday. First pitch is slated for 3 pm.
