Siena Softball leaned on dominant pitching and timely situational hitting to secure a 3-0 victory over Fairfield on Friday afternoon at Alumni Softball Field, tightening an already competitive race near the top of the MAAC standings.
With both programs entering the day separated by just one game in the conference standings, the matchup carried postseason implications—and Siena responded with one of its most complete performances of the season.
At the center of it all was
Gracie Goewey, who delivered a masterclass in the circle. The sophomore tossed her 12th complete game and fifth shutout of the season, limiting Fairfield to just one hit across seven innings. She retired the first 13 batters she faced before surrendering the Stags' lone hit in the fifth, finishing with three strikeouts and two walks on 102 pitches. Goewey improved to 12-5 on the season and continues to anchor a Siena pitching staff that ranks among the MAAC's best.
Siena's offense complemented the effort by capitalizing on opportunities rather than relying on volume. The Saints drew five walks and used aggressive baserunning to manufacture all three runs.
They broke through in the second inning when
Sarah Miller reached on a walk and advanced to third on an error.
Chloe Cummings followed with a sacrifice fly to plate the game's first run.
The Saints added insurance in the fifth. After Cummings reached and moved into scoring position,
Emma Petersen delivered the game's biggest swing—a triple to right-center that pushed the lead to 2-0.
Siena tacked on its final run in the sixth.
Gianna DiMeglio singled to start the inning before pinch runner
Mckenzie Faherty moved into scoring position and eventually came home on Cummings' RBI single, capping a two-RBI, one-run performance for the sophomore.
From there, Goewey handled the rest. She navigated the final two innings without allowing a runner past first, sealing Siena's one-hit shutout and its 22nd win of the season.
The Saints (22-11, 12-5 MAAC) will look to carry the momentum into Saturday's rematch against the Stags, with first pitch of the twin bill set for noon back at Alumni Softball Field.
