FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Pitcher Alyssa Weinberg needed just one strikeout to reach 400 for her career. She hit that mark and tacked on an additional 13 strikeouts as the senior set a season-high with 14 in a 2-1 win over the University of Maine, completing a doubleheader sweep against the Black Bears. The Stags won the opener as well by a 5-1 count behind the arm of Peyton Shields, who scattered three hits and fanned four batters.

Weinberg dominated through the first four innings, sending 10 batters back to the dugout on strikes. To further show her control of the game, the left hander retired 14 straight Maine hitters after surrendering a one-out single in the first inning, 10 of which were by strikeout.

While the pitching duties were being handled, the Stags offense was able to push a couple of runs across to put Weinberg in position to win her eighth game of the season. In the fourth inning, Ava Armuth and Lauren Osland each singled to set up a run-scoring chance which was completed by Martina Gutierrez's fielder's choice grounder to shortstop.

The Fairfield advantage doubled in the fifth inning when Sarah Bielski opened the frame by being hit by a pitch. She went to second on a sacrifice bunt, setting up Anna Paravati's RBI single to right field to push the score to 2-0.

Maine finally broke through in the sixth inning, scoring one run after a run was erased on an appeal play. Morgan Pool ended Weinberg's run of 14 retired batters with a long double to right center field. Francesca Guerrera followed with another two-base hit, but the pinch runner inserted for Pool missed third base while making the turn for home. The Stags appealed the play and the out was recorded, keeping Fairfield's two-run edge.

The Black Bears followed with another double, shot to the left center field gap by Kaelyn Larkin, that broke up the shutout.

In the first game, Fairfield never trailed as the team scored in three consecutive innings, beginning with a pair of runs in the third. Cara Kochakian started the inning by reaching on an error which Bielski followed with a hard grounder that caromed off the pitcher's glove to put runners on first and second. SJ Mull picked up an infield hit to load the bases, allowing Ava Armuth and Quinn McGonigle to record an RBI with an infield single and a sacrifice fly, respectively.

Fairfield's lead went to 3-0 in the fourth inning, courtesy of Martina Gutierrez's second home run of the season which cleared the left-field fence. After Maine scored a run in the top of the fifth inning, the Stags tacked on two more runs in their half of the fifth from an RBI single by Sammie Dougherty and a bases-loaded walk from Gutierrez.

The Stags will now prepare for a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) doubleheader on Tuesday afternoon when Quinnipiac University will visit Alumni Softball Field. The twin bill begins at 2 pm.