POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (May 8, 2026) - Day three of the 2026 MAAC Softball Championship concluded Friday evening in Poughkeepsie, New York, with four games highlighting another action-packed day of postseason softball as No. 1 Marist and No. 3 Iona secured spots in the championship game.
No. 2 Fairfield – 2 | No. 5 Quinnipiac – 5
Gartland Athletic Field | Poughkeepsie | 9:00 AM | Box Score
No. 5 Quinnipiac kept its postseason run alive with a 5-2 victory over No. 2 Fairfield in an elimination game on Friday morning. The Bobcats came out aggressive early and struck for three runs in the second inning to seize momentum. Quinnipiac continued to pressure Fairfield offensively throughout the game, using timely hitting and strong baserunning to maintain control against one of the tournament favorites.
Fairfield responded in the sixth inning and attempted to rally late, cutting into the deficit with clutch hits to keep the game within reach. The Stags threatened multiple times offensively, but Quinnipiac answered with key defensive plays and crucial outs to prevent Fairfield from completing the comeback.
The Bobcats added insurance runs late in the contest and closed out the 5-2 victory behind a balanced effort on both sides of the field. Quinnipiac’s pitching staff limited Fairfield’s offense in critical moments, while the lineup delivered timely production throughout the morning matchup. With the win, Quinnipiac advanced further in the elimination bracket of the 2026 MAAC Softball Championship, while Fairfield’s postseason run came to an end.
No. 2 Iona – 7 | No. 1 Marist – 12
Gartland Athletic Field | Poughkeepsie | 11:20 AM | Box Score
No. 1 Marist defeated No. 3 Iona, 12-7, in a high-scoring winners bracket showdown on Friday afternoon. The matchup quickly turned into an offensive battle as both teams traded runs throughout the early innings. Marist wasted little time getting its offense going, using timely hitting and aggressive baserunning to build momentum, while Iona answered with multiple rallies to keep the game close.
The Red Foxes broke the game open in the middle innings with a series of clutch hits and extra-base knocks that helped create separation on the scoreboard. Marist’s lineup continued to produce throughout the afternoon, putting pressure on the Gaels’ pitching staff with consistent offense from top to bottom.
Iona continued to fight back and stayed within striking distance thanks to several key hits and late offensive pushes. The Gaels cut into the deficit multiple times and threatened to swing momentum back in their favor, but Marist consistently responded with timely offense of its own.
The Red Foxes closed out the 12-7 victory behind a balanced offensive effort and key defensive plays late in the contest. With the win, Marist advanced directly to the 2026 MAAC Softball Championship game, while Iona dropped into the elimination bracket needing another win to keep its title hopes alive.
No. 4 Sacred Heart - 4 | No. 5 Quinnipiac - 6
Gartland Athletic Field | Poughkeepsie | 2:05 PM | Box Score
No. 5 Quinnipiac continued to keep its postseason run alive with a 6-4 victory over No. 4 Sacred Heart in another elimination game on Friday afternoon. Quinnipiac struck first in the opening inning when Riley Potter delivered an RBI single to score Mary Fogg and give the Bobcats an early 1-0 lead. Sacred Heart answered quickly in the second inning after Charlene Davis launched a two-run home run down the left field line to put the Pioneers in front, 2-1.
The Pioneers added to their advantage in the third inning with back-to-back solo home runs from Elle Leckrone and Cierra Bender, extending the lead to 4-1 and shifting momentum toward Sacred Heart. Quinnipiac responded in a major way during the fifth inning. Ally Hochstadter crushed a game-tying three-run home run to center field, scoring Natalia Apatiga and Ava Tabangcura to even the score at 4-4. The Bobcats carried the momentum into the sixth inning, where Kennedy Demott delivered a sacrifice fly to bring home Sofia Vega before Hochstadter added another RBI single to extend the lead to 6-4. Hochstadter led the Bobcats offensively with two hits and four RBIs, while Riley Potter finished 3-for-3 with an RBI and a walk. Sofia Vega also added three hits in the victory as Quinnipiac totaled 13 hits offensively.
After Sacred Heart scored four runs in the first three innings, Quinnipiac’s pitching staff settled in and shut the Pioneers out the rest of the way. Shannon Kendall earned the win in relief, tossing three scoreless innings and allowing just three hits to help secure the victory. With the win, Quinnipiac advanced further in the elimination bracket of the 2026 MAAC Softball Championship, while Sacred Heart’s postseason run came to an end.
No. 3 Iona – 6 | No. 5 Quinnipiac – 5
Gartland Athletic Field | Poughkeepsie | 5:00 PM | Box Score
No. 3 Iona survived and advanced with a 6-5 extra-inning victory over No. 5 Quinnipiac in an elimination game at the 2026 MAAC Softball Championship on Friday night in Poughkeepsie, New York.
Iona came out firing in the opening inning, erupting for four runs to immediately take control of the game and put Quinnipiac in an early hole. After the explosive first inning, both pitching staffs settled in as neither team scored again through the next three innings. The Bobcats mounted their comeback in the fifth inning, scoring three runs to cut the deficit to one before adding two more runs in the sixth to take a 5-4 lead. Quinnipiac’s offense came alive in the middle innings and appeared to have all the momentum heading into the late stages of the game. The Gaels answered in the bottom of the fifth with a key run to tie the game at 5-5, and the matchup remained deadlocked through the seventh inning to force extras.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Iona delivered the game-winning run to walk off Quinnipiac and secure the dramatic 6-5 victory. With the win, the Gaels advanced to championship Saturday to face Marist, while Quinnipiac’s postseason run came to an end after another hard-fought battle.
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 13 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 45th year of competition during the 2025-26 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius University, Fairfield University, Iona University, Manhattan University, Marist University, Merrimack College, Mount St. Mary’s University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Sacred Heart University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena University.
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