FAIRFIELD, CT – The defending MAAC Champion Fairfield Stags defeated the Iona Gaels in a pair of tight contests on Saturday afternoon. The Gaels had four errors on the day and just two of the Stags five total runs on the day were earned.

GAME ONE: Fairfield 3, Iona 1

The Stags bats were able to break through against sophomore pitcher Marnie Skinner in the bottom of the sixth inning. After collecting just two hits through the first five innings and trailing 1-0 since the second inning, Fairfield had its first five base runners reach base in its final at-bat.

Freshman Mikayla Rubin started the inning with a single through the left side. Junior Courtney Hankins reached base on an error committed by the Gaels on a sacrifice bunt attempt. Iona immediately felt the side effects of its mistake when Stags senior Angelina McGuire singled to tie the game and put the winning run 60 feet. Freshman Drew Westford delivered the crucial blow with a double to left center that gave the home team a 3-1 lead.

The Maroon & Gold did not go down quietly in their final at-bat. Junior Kimberly Chiapparelli started the inning with a single down the left field line. Junior Hailey Thompson walked to make it first and second with nobody out. At this point the Stags made a pitching change. 

Senior Destinee Pallotto entered the game to replace freshman starter Lauryn Rhinehart. Her first batter faced was senior Courtney Miller; she attempted a sacrifice bunt but popped out to Pallotto. Fairfield's senior hurler then cruised to her first save of the season by getting the next two Gael batters out in order.

Iona scored its lone run in the top of the second inning. Chiapparelli led off the frame singled through the left side. She reached third base when Hankins committed an error on a short chopper by Thompson. The Gaels created chaos on the bases with runners on the corners. Stags rookie catcher Drew Westford attempted the throw out the stealing Thompson but her throw sailed to left center which allowed Chiapparelli to cross the plate.

Skinner's final line in the circle was five innings, three runs allowed, two earned, on five hits and the walks. She struck out one batter. Senior Jessica Harkness came on in relief in the sixth innings and went one inning allowing zero runs with one walk and one strikeout.

Rhinehart picked up her fourth win of the season for Fairfield by going six innings allowing just four hits and two walks. She struck out three batters.

GAME TWO: Fairfield 2, Iona 1

Senior Tori Danner remained red-hot from yesterday's doubleheader sweep over Quinnipiac when she blasted her fourth home run of the season in the top of the fourth inning. Iona maintained a 1-0 lead until the bottom of the fifth inning.

In a mirror image of game one, a fielder error undid a lead for the Maroon & Gold. Rubin began the bottom half of the fifth with a walk and pinch runner sophomore Amanda Ulzheimer advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt laid down by junior Alisha Marshall. Hankins hit a groundball that was booted by Thompson at shortstop to put runners on first and third.

Fairfield's tying run came across the plate when McGuire reached on a fielder's choice. Her short-hopper was hit to sophomore Taylor Brown; she went to tag Hankins who was running from first to second and a slight hesitation in the tag ensured that a double-play didn't end the inning.

The Stags took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning. For the second straight inning, Fairfield followed a similar formula. Robinson led the attack off with a walk and was pinch ran for by Rhinehart. Freshman Sam Merino sacrificed her over the second base, brining senior Makenna DiGuilio to the plate. A grounder to shortstop wasn't handled cleanly, consequentially meaning that Rhinehart crossed the plate with the leading run.

Danner, Gergel and Chiapparelli each had one hit. Pallotto did not walk anyone for Fairfield. Each of Fairfield's runs were unearned; junior Alana Evans pitched all six innings and struck out eight batters while relenting just two hits.

The Gaels return to the diamond at home on Wednesday, Apr. 18 against non-conference opponent Stony Brook. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 PM at Donald E. Walsh Field.

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