NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The Fairfield University softball team opened the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) portion of its schedule with a pair of setbacks against Marist University on Sunday afternoon. The doubleheader was played at Shea Softball Complex on the campus of Albertus Magnus College.
The first game was a classic pitcher's duel between Marist pitcher Ava Metzger and Fairfield hurler
Alyssa Weinberg. Metzger tossed a complete-game shutout by fanning 12 hitters while Weinberg allowed just two runs, one in the third and one in the fifth innings, while scattering eight hits and striking out nine batters.
The Red Foxes put those single runs on the score board courtesy of Haley Ahr, who brought the first run home with a hard single up that deflected off Weinberg before finding its way into right field. She followed up with a solo home run over the center field fence that doubled the team's advantage at 2-0.
The Stags certainly made strong efforts to put themselves back into the game by putting runners in all but two of the seven innings. The best opportunity came in the fifth inning when
Quinn McGonigle drove a one-out double off the base of the center field fence to put a runner in scoring position.
Danica Silvestri drew a two-out walk to put a pair of runners before Metzger induced a pop up to end the threat.
McGonigle and
Ava Armuth were responsible for the team's two hits in the game with Armuth registering the team's first hit in the fourth.
In the second game, Fairfield managed just one hit off pitcher Stella Blanchard which came when
Cara Kochakian laced a lead-off single in the bottom of the third inning. Ana Armuth also reached base twice, leading off the first and fourth innings by drawing a walk.
Marist plated its first run off a fielder's choice before Isabella Manory sent a pitch over the center field fence for a two-run homer. The Red Foxes added one more run in the seventh inning when Samantha Rogers sent a runner home with a double to right-center field.
The Stags will return to play on Tuesday, March 10 when they travel to Central Connecticut State University for a non-conference doubleheader. The first pitch is slated for 1 pm.
