CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- The Fairfield University softball team dropped its first two games at the Palmer Park Clash hosted by the University of Virginia today, falling to George Mason University by an 8-7 count and to the host school by a 16-1 margin in five innings. Haley Updegraff paced the Stags offense with four hits, three runs scored, and an RBI over the two games.

In the opening game, the Stags overcame an early deficit and was able to build a lead late in the game before George Mason rallied in the top of the seventh inning. The Patriots opened the scoring with three runs in the top of the second inning, using three hits and an error to send the runs across home plate. Fairfield cut into the lead with a single run in the third inning, courtesy of a leadoff double from Haley Updegraff and a run-scoring double by Allie Bridgman. 

The Stags tallied three runs in their next at-bat, a rally which began with a leadoff infield single by Charli Warren. She was sacrificed to second base and came home when Kaitlin Hoffman sent a base hit to center field. Updegraff was responsible for the second run of the inning with her base hit to left field while Kasey Sekula ended the scoring threat with her own single.

Fairfield's offense continued to roll in the fourth inning, putting together four hits in the frame that resulted in three more runs that brought the score to 7-3. Once again, the Stags used a lead off hit to spark the offensive showcase with Warren pushing a single up the middle. Delaney Whieldon advanced Warren to second base after getting hit by a pitch. Megan Forbes followed with an RBI single before Fairfield loaded the bases off Updegraff's single. Madison Robicheau concluded the scoring with a two-run single to center field that gave a four-run lead to the Stags.

The lead would remain intact until the top of the seventh inning at which time George Mason rallied for five runs, all of which came with two outs. One of the runs was a result of a bases-loaded walk while the final three runs were driven by Elyssa DeRos' bases-clearing double. The Stags went down in order during their half of the seventh inning with a fly out and two ground outs.

Fairfield played host Virginia in the nightcap but the Stags never really ever found its footing in the batter's box. The Stags looked as though they would start off quickly when Warren opened the game with an infield hit and Updegraff followed with a long double to center field. However, the next three hitters struck out to end the rally. 

The home team wasted little time to take control of the game, scoring five runs in its first at-bat of the game. The Cavaliers placed their first batter on base with a single before Whieldon threw a strike to second base to catch the runner in an attempted steal. Virginia loaded the bases with three walks after the caught stealing which set up the big inning which include an RBI single and a two-run single.  Virginia tacked on seven more runs in the second inning, combining five hits and four Fairfield errors to push the score to 12-0.

Fairfield's lone run in the game came in the fourth inning as Quinn McGonigle collected a leadoff double and came home when Robicheau's grounder was misplayed. 

The Stags finish up their run at the Classic on Sunday when they take on DePaul University at 12:30 pm.