STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – The Fairfield University softball opened its three-day stay at the Penn State Invitational by splitting a pair of games. The Stags opened the day with a 6-3 win over Canisius University before falling in five innings to the host school.

In the opener, the top three batters in the lineup carried the Stags offensively as the trio combined for a eight hits in nine at-bats. Junior Anna Paravati continued her solid start to the season by picking up three hits in as many at-bats while also driving home three runs to pace the offense. Leadoff hitter Charli Warren also had three hits in three at-bats while Morgan Sylvestre garnered a pair of hits. Both student-athletes crossed home plate twice.

Fairfield opened the game with a pair of runs when Faith Camilleri brought home the first run off a sacrifice fly, chasing home Sylvestre. Quinn McGonigle pushed home the next run when her grounder brought home Paravati. Canisius tied the game up in the bottom of the inning courtesy of an Ella Johel two-run homer.

The Stags regained the lead in the top of the second when Paravati drew a bases-loaded walk to bring the score to 3-2. Once again, the Griffs knotted the score in the bottom half of the frame after Tabitha von Kolen laced a triple to right.

Fairfield took the lead for good in the fourth inning by plating a pair of runs off Paravati's double to the opposite field, making the score 5-3. Warren scored the game's final run on the front end of a double steal, pairing up Darby Weller who swiped second base.

Alyssa Weinberg earned her third win of the season by tossing a complete game, scattering seven hits and fanning eight hitters over her seven-innings of work.

In the second game, Penn State used a 16-run fourth inning to run off with a 23-0 win over Stags. Warren, Paravati, and Christina Minor accounted for the team's three hits.

Fairfield continues play in the Invitational by playing Canisius at 1:30 pm followed by a match up with Lafayette College at 4 pm.