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Canisius University Athletics

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Megan Giese May 11, 2023 vs Fairfield
Ken Morey
0
Fairfield FFD 22-24
6
Winner Canisius CAN 29-14-1
Fairfield FFD
22-24
0
Final
6
Canisius CAN
29-14-1
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Fairfield FFD 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2
Canisius CAN 0 1 2 0 3 0 X 6 8 0

W: Giese, Megan (17-6) L: Lindsay, Sam (9-9)

Game Recap: Softball |

Canisius’ Battery Leads Softball to Win Over Fairfield

Canisius junior pitcher Megan Giese tossed a complete-game one-hitter with 12 strikeouts and junior catcher Gianna Fazzolari went 2-for-2 with two home runs and four RBI to help lead the Golden Griffins to a 6-0 win over Fairfield on the second day of the 2023 MAAC Softball Championship Thursday afternoon at the Demske Sports Complex.
 
With the win, Canisius (29-14-1) advances to the tournament's winner's bracket final game on Friday, where the Blue and Gold will play No. 3 seed Marist. That game will be played at 11 a.m., at the Demske Sports Complex.
 
Game Recap
Giese, the 2023 MAAC Pitcher of the Year, picked up where she left in the regular-season, as she allowed just one hit and fanned 12 batters en route to improving her record to 17-6 on the year. The Buffalo, N.Y., native struck out the first five Fairfield batters she faced, and did not allow a base runner until the top-half of the third when she walked Stags' shortstop Madison Robicheau with one out in the frame. Giese's no-hit bid was ended in the top of the seventh inning with two outs, after Fairfield outfielder Kaitlyn Hoffman lined a base-hit back up the middle on an 0-2 pitch. Giese ended the game moments later, however, as she fanned a Fairfield batter for her 12th and final K of the day.
 
Fazzolari gave Giese all the run support she would need on the day in the home-half of the second after she led off the inning with a solo homer to left off Fairfield starter Sam Lindsay. The Griffs made it 3-0 in the third after junior Christie McGee-Ross scored on a Fairfield throwing error, and then Fazzolari pushed graduate student Nicole Rivait across the plate with a sac-fly to center. An RBI-single by sophomore Rosie Gomez to right field with one out in the fifth made the score 4-0 in favor of the home team, and then Fazzolari capped the scoring with a two-run shot to left that made the score 6-0 in favor of Canisius.
 
The Griffs banged out eight hits in the winning effort, with Fazzolari and Rivait each posting a pair of hits in the victory. McGee-Ross scored two runs, walked twice and stole a base for Canisius, while senior Sophia Recrosio and junior Destiny Falquez each had a base hit as well on the day.
 
For Fairfield (22-24), Lindsay took the loss in the circle to fall to 9-9 on the year. She allowed one run on just four hits in 2.0 innings of work before being lifted for reliever Alyssa Weinberg, who gave up five runs on four hits while issuing four walks.
 
Game Notes
• Canisius has now won four-straight MAAC Championship tournament games, dating back to last year.
• Fazzolari's second home run of the game established a new program record for team home runs in a single season, breaking the previous mark that was established during the 2005 campaign.
• Fazzolari is the first Canisius hitter to record two home runs in a MAAC Championship tournament game since former Griff Caitlin Lever had two homers in a 5-2 win over Fairfield on May 15, 2004.
• The Griffs earned their eighth shutout of the campaign, one shy of 2022's total of nine games without allowing a run.
• Giese has now thrown back-to-back complete-game shutouts in the MAAC Softball Championship Tournament dating back to 2022.
• Giese's 12 strikeouts were the most by a Canisius pitcher in MAAC Tournament play since Amanda Baun struck out 11 batters on May 15, 2010 against Iona.
• Thursday marked the first time a Canisius pitcher one-hit an opponent in postseason play since Baun had a one-hitter to go with two walks across seven shutout frames on May 14, 2010 against Niagara. Baun fanned nine Purple Eagles in that 4-0 victory.
• McGee-Ross has now tied Lauren Hope (2010) for the fourth-most stolen bases in a season with 23 and Lizzy Gatto (2009-12) for the fourth-most stolen bases in a career with 64.
 
Up Next
Canisius will play No. 3 seed Marist at 11 a.m., on Friday in the winner's bracket championship final at the Demske Sports Complex. The winner of that game will earn a berth into Saturday's championship final, and is one victory away from claiming the 2023 MAAC softball crown and the league's automatic berth into the 2023 NCAA Division I Softball Championship. Friday's game will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
 
For complete coverage of Canisius softball, please follow @griffssoftball on Instagram and Twitter.
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