Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 RIVERDALE, N.Y. – Martina Gutierrez, Cara Kochakian, and Alivia Macaluso each hit a home run to propel the Fairfield University softball team to a sweep of Manhattan University, winning the first game by a 9-1 score in six innings and by a 6-2 count in the second game. The Stags have won four straight games, all against Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC).

Fairfield never trailed this afternoon, jumping to leads in both games. The Jaspers did work their way into a 2-2 tie in the second game but the Stags posted four runs in the last two innings of the game to take control.

Three of those runs came off the bat of Macaluso, who launched a three-run pinch-hit home run in the seventh inning that turned a 3-2 lead into a four-run advantage. The Stags broke the 2-2 tie in the night cap when Kochakian sent the ball over the left field fence to push the team in front by a run.

Pitcher Alyssa Weinberg combined with starter Peyton Shields in the pitching circle to keep the home team off stride. Shields worked her way into the fifth inning before Manhattan rallied for a pair of runs to knock out the junior. Weinberg came into the game as a reliever, after earning the complete-game victory in game one, and secured the final five outs of the game to win her second game of the day.

In the first game, Weinberg never allowed Manhattan to string together any momentum, striking out 11 batters over seven innings. Trailing 4-0, the Jaspers broke through against Fairfield's senior hurler on one swing, a one-out fourth inning solo home run that put the home team on the scoreboard.

Fairfield picked up its first home run of the day when Martina Gutierrez cleared the fence to push the lead to 2-0 in the second inning. Kochakian started her day with a pair of doubles and three RBI, the first bringing two runs across the plate in the third inning and the other sending one runner home in the sixth inning.

Ava Armuth and Danica Silvestri also added to the cause, each posting an RBI single in the game. Five Fairfield student-athletes recorded a pair of hits in the opener, namely Sarah Bielski, SJ Mull, Sammie Dougherty, Ava Armuth, and Kochakian.

The Fairfield University softball team will continue its run of MAAC games this weekend when Rider University comes to Alumni Softball Field. The Stags will host the Broncs for a doubleheader on Saturday followed by a single on Sunday.