COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- The Fairfield University softball team took an early lead against the University of Maryland before the home team scored eight consecutive runs to pick up an 8-1 win against the Stags at the Terrapin Invitational on Saturday. 

Freshman Sammie Dougherty gave Fairfield its only lead of the game in the second inning when she connected on her first collegiate home run, a solo shot that cleared the left field fence. It was the Stags' second hit of the game which came after Anna Paravati's first-inning base hit. Fairfield would pick up a hit in each of the first four innings with Sarah Bielski and Delaney Whieon each stroking a single in the third inning and SJ Mull collecting a single in the fourth inning. 

Maryland took the lead for good in the third inning when the host school plated a pair of runs on two infield singles to the left side. With a one-run lead in hand, Matti Benson led off the bottom of the fourth with a solo home run that brought the score to 3-1. The Terrapins broke the game open with four more runs in the fifth inning with the main damage done on a pair of home runs that accounted for three of those runners crossing the plate.

Fairfield used a trio of pitchers in the game beginning with starter Peyton Smith who tossed the first four-plus frames. She was relieved by Grace Conrad who threw the next two-thirds of an inning before Chela Kovar closed out the game. 

The Stags will close out their stay at the Terrapin Invitational on Sunday when they play UMBC at 12:30 pm. Fairfield will play its first game in the Northeast when it heads to Central Connecticut State University on Wednesday, March 4 for a 3 pm game.