FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Marist softball team defeated Fairfield 10-0 on Saturday in the first game of a scheduled Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference doubleheader. The second game was postponed due to rain, and is scheduled to be made up on Monday, March 31 at 4:30 p.m.

The game was stopped by the mercy rule after six innings. To get to this point, the Red Foxes used a pair of big innings plus a one-hitter from junior Janine Lalli (Eastchester, N.Y.).

Lalli gave up a hit to the first batter she faced in the bottom of the first, but then proceeded to retire 18 consecutive Stags. She improved her record to 3-3 on the season as she recorded her first shutout of 2014, and third of her career.  

The Red Foxes scored four runs in the second, and six in the sixth. Sophomore Kyrsten Van Natta (Maplewood, N.J.) delivered a three-run homer in the second, and junior Taylor Kuzma (Freehold, N.J.) belted a grand slam in the sixth. It was the third home run of the season for both Van Natta and Kuzma.

Saturday's game marked the MAAC opener for both teams. Marist and Fairfield were picked to finish first and second, respectively, in the conference's preseason poll. The Red Foxes defeated the Stags in the final of last year's MAAC Championships to advance to the NCAA Tournament.

Marist is now 7-14 overall; Fairfield is 2-13 overall.