Softball Opens MAAC Championship Versus Fairfield

Game 44
No. 1 Canisius (28-14-1, 17-3 MAAC) vs No. 4 Fairfield (22-23, 11-9 MAAC)
Dates: Thursday, May 11
Times: 1:30 p.m.
Location: Buffalo, N.Y. | Demske Sports Complex
Broadcast: ESPN+
Live Stats: Through gogriffs.com
Twitter: @GriffsSoftball | #Griffs | #MAACSoftball

• First Pitch
The top-seeded Canisius softball team opens the 2023 MAAC Softball Championship when it squares off against No. 4 Fairfield Thursday at the Demske Sports Complex. First pitch is slated for 1:30 p.m. with the contest airing on ESPN+.

The Golden Griffins swept the regular season series against the Stags on April 15 at the Demske Sports Complex.

Canisius plated three runs in the bottom of the seventh before sophomore Rosie Gomez slugged a walk-off homer in the eighth to defeat Fairfield, 4-3, in game one.

Gomez then began the second game with a two-run shot in the Griffs 7-1 victory to earn the sweep.

• Last Time Out
Canisius earned its 16th regular season title after sweeping No. 2 Mount St. Mary's May 6 by scores of 8-0 (5 inn.) and 3-1. This marks the second straight season the Griffs have earned the top seed at home on senior day after earning a sweep. During one of the contests in both years, the team earned a five-inning mercy rule victory.

In 2023, the Blue and Gold finished league play with a program-best 17 wins, the most victories by a team during conferection action since Monmouth went 19-1 during the 2019 campaign.

The team's three losses in conference play marks the 13th time in 31 seasons that they have lost three-or-fewer contests against league opponents in a campaign.

Junior Megan Giese closed out the 2023 regular season in dominant fashion, going 3-0 with a 0.39 ERA, striking out 34 batters in 18.0 innings pitched while allowing just two runs, one earned, on nine hits and four walks.

On Saturday in the second game against the Mount, Giese fanned a season-high 14 batters to help Canisius win its second straight MAAC Regular Season title. On the day, Giese fanned 22 Mount batters over 12 innings while yielding just one unearned run.

Graduate Nicole Rivait swung a hot bat in the final weekend of the regular season, putting up a .636/.692/1.455 slash line over the four games, collecting six runs, six RBI, four extra-base hits and three stolen bases. Rivait collected a hit in all four contests, including a pair of multi-hit performances. The utility player went 3-for-3 with three runs scored, three RBI and two stolen bases in the first game against Rider on Friday. In the opening contest Saturday, Rivait went 2-for-2 with two runs, two RBI, a triple and a homer, her second long ball of the weekend.

• Award Season
For the second straight season, Canisius earned multiple major awards as Giese was named the conference's Pitcher of the Year, becoming the first Griff to win the award in back-to-back seasons. Head coach Kim Griffin was also named MAAC Head Coach of the Year, earning the award for the second time in her tenure on Main Street. Giese, along with sophomores Saige Alfaro and Rosie Gomez and juniors Gianna Fazzolari and Christie McGee-Ross were all named to the All-MAAC First Team while freshman Rylee Alfaro earned MAAC All-Rookie Team honors.

Giese is the first pitcher in the league since Fairfield's Mellissa Santos (2001-03) to be named MAAC Pitcher of the Year in consecutive seasons.

• All Giese, No Brakes
After striking out 34 batters in 18.0 innings of work this past weekend, Giese was tabbed the league's Rawlings MAAC Pitcher of the Week for the third time this season. Giese also closed out the 2022 campaign with the honor as well.

This year, the Buffalo, N.Y., native enters postseason play with 178 strikeouts, which is tied with Courtney Piar (2007) for the seventh-most punch outs in a season in program history. The 178 punchies also bests her previous regular season total in 2022 of 158. Giese finished that campaign with 185, which currently ranks fourth all-time in a single season.

When Giese reaches 180 strikeouts in 2023, she will join Andrea Bunten (2004 and 2005) as the only pitchers in program history to fan at least 180 batters in multiple seasons during their career on Main Street.

The junior also earned 10 conference wins in 2023, which is the most by a MAAC pitcher since Monmouth's Alyssa Irons earned 14 victories in 2019.

• Closing in on Program Records
Canisius enters the postseason with 35 home runs across 43 games. The team is now one long ball shy of tying the program record, which was established during the 2005 season. Four different Griffs have left the yard at least five times this season, paced by sophomore Gomez's eight jacks. The eight long balls are tied with four other players, including Fazzolari, for the sixth-most in a single season in program history.

The Griffs also sit at 102 stolen bases on the year, the third straight season the team has reached the century mark. After establishing a program record 108 steals in 2022, the Blue and Gold looks to top that mark this year.

On the base paths, McGee-Ross paces the team with 32 swiped bags. She is one stolen base away from tying Lauren Hope (2010) for the fourth-most steals in a season in program history. McGee-Ross' 63 career bags is currently one behind tying Lizzy Gatto (2009-12) for fourth in the record book.

For complete coverage of Canisius softball, please follow @griffssoftball on Instagram and Twitter.

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Players Mentioned

#15 Saige Alfaro: INF; 5' 6"; Sophomore; L/R

#21 Gianna Fazzolari: C/INF; 5' 6"; Junior; R/R

#17 Megan Giese: P/INF; 5' 7"; Junior; R/R

#42 Rosie Gomez: INF; 5' 9"; Sophomore; R/R

#5 Christie McGee-Ross: OF; 5' 8"; Junior; L/R

#10 Nicole Rivait: INF/C; 5' 6"; Graduate Student; R/R

#77 Rylee Alfaro: P/INF; 5' 8"; Freshman; R/R

Players Mentioned

#15 Saige Alfaro
: 5' 6"; Sophomore; L/R
: INF

#21 Gianna Fazzolari
: 5' 6"; Junior; R/R
: C/INF

#17 Megan Giese
: 5' 7"; Junior; R/R
: P/INF

#42 Rosie Gomez
: 5' 9"; Sophomore; R/R
: INF

#5 Christie McGee-Ross
: 5' 8"; Junior; L/R
: OF

#10 Nicole Rivait
: 5' 6"; Graduate Student; R/R
: INF/C

#77 Rylee Alfaro
: 5' 8"; Freshman; R/R
: P/INF