WEST HAVEN, Conn. – The Fairfield University softball team picked up a non-conference win over the University of New Haven this afternoon, defeating the Chargers by a 10-2 score in six innings.
The Stags started quickly with five runs in the top of the first inning, combining two hit batters with one walk and three hits to bring home the runners.
Sarah Bielski opened the game with a single and moved two bases off a sacrifice bunt from
SJ Mull and a ground out by
Anna Paravati. The next five batters reached base for Fairfield to continue its two-out rally.
Ava Armuth earned a walk and stole second to put a pair of runners in scoring position.
Quinn McGonigle was hit by a pitch to load the bases, followed by
Sammie Dougherty also getting hit on the hand to bring home the first run.
Lauren Osland drove a two-run double to left field which brought the score to 3-0.
Martina Gutierrez closed out the scoring with a two-run single to center field, providing starting pitcher
Alyssa Weinberg with a five-run lead.
New Haven answered by putting the first two batters on the base paths in the bottom of the first inning, the first reaching on an error and the second gaining a walk. Weinberg proceeded to retire the next three hitters, two by strikeout, to keep the home team off the score board.
Fairfield added three more runs in the second inning, the first coming when AJ Mull reached first base on four balls and came home courtesy of Paravati's triple to the right-center gap. After Armuth walked to put another runner on base, McGonigle lined a sacrifice fly to center field to bring home another run. Armuth scored the team's eighth run off Dougherty's base hit.
The Chargers did not score in their half of the second and third innings as Weinberg registered four of the six outs by strikeout. Fairfield added to its lead when McGonigle hit a ball that cleared the left field fence for a 9-0 lead.
New Haven broke through in the bottom of the fourth inning when the team collected its first hits of the game, setting up the Chargers' first run which crossed the plate off a wild pitch. The team added another run in the fifth inning, chasing a runner home by piecing together two hits with a walk to bring the score to 9-2.
The Stags closed out the scoring in the top of the sixth inning when Armuth led off with a triple and came home off a bunt from Dougherty. Weinberg closed out the game with two more strikeouts in the sixth inning, giving the senior 11 strikeouts in her complete-game outing.
Fairfield will return to the diamond on Friday by hosting the University of Maine for a doubleheader that begins at noon. The twin bill moved because of an inclement weather forecast for Thursday.
