POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – The Fairfield University softball team dropped its first game at the 2026 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Championship, falling to Iona University by a 10-6 count. The softball championship is hosted by Marist University.
Fairfield put the first runs on the board in their first appearance at the plate. The rally started when AJ Mull worked out a one-out walk. Senior
Anna Paravati stepped into the batter's box and quickly put Fairfield in front with a two-run home run that cleared the left-field fence to put the Stags in front by a 2-0 score.
Pitcher
Alyssa Weinberg kept the Gaels in check through the first three innings, retiring the first seven batters she faced before Iona put a runner on first with a walk. After recording the second out, the Gaels earned another base on balls to put two runners on base. Weinberg induced a line out to second base to keep Fairfield's lead intact.
Iona broke through in its half of the fourth inning, scoring seven runs off five hits. Three of the first four hitters in the inning reached via hits which included two extra base hits and a single that brought home the first two runs. After a third run was pushed home, Alivia Licthner finished the scoring with a grand slam that brought the score to 7-2.
Fairfield fought back in its half of the inning, using the long ball to pull closer. After
Martina Gutierrez hit a ball to the center field fence for the first out,
Quinn McGonigle and
Danica Silvestri stroked back-to-back home runs to bring the deficit down to three runs, 7-4.
The Gaels responded with another big inning, this time plating three runs as the first five batters reached base to account for the scoring. Pitcher
Delaney Moquin took over for
Peyton Shields and retired the first three batters she faced to bring Fairfield back to the plate down 10-4.
The Stags put another run on the scoreboard when Anna Parvati worked out a lead off walk before yielding to pinch runner
Darby Weller.
Ava Armuth's infield single advance Weller to second but both runners moved up another base when the throw to first was errant. Gutierrez hit into a fielder's choice that brought home the team's fifth run.
Moquin did not surrender a hit in her final two innings as a hit batter in the sixth and a walk in the seventh accounted for the two base runners. Her effort allowed Fairfield to cut further into the Iona's lead as the Stags added another run in the sixth.
Silvestri started things off with a walk which
Cara Kochakian followed with a base hit.
Sarah Bielski hit into a fielder's choice to keep runners on first and second, setting up Paravati's third RBI with a single to right field.
Fairfield went down in order in the bottom of the seventh to finish with a 10-6 setback.
The Stags will face Quinnipiac University on Friday in an elimination game. The game time will be posted following today's competition.
