Softball Sweeps Weekly Atlantic 10 Awards

League Release

Newport News, Va – The Fordham softball team has garnered three more weekly Atlantic 10 awards, it was announced Monday afternoon, as Jessica Hughes earned Player of the Week, Lauren Quense received her third straight Pitcher of the Week honor, sharing it with La Salle's McKenzie Peace, and Madison Aughinbaugh took home her first weekly accolade as Rookie of the Week. The Rams have been represented by at least one player in all three weeks to begin the 2017 campaign.
 
This is Hughes' first Player of the Week honor in her career thus far, having won Rookie of the Week three times last season en route to being named A-10 Rookie of the Year. In four games at the Diamond 9 Citrus Classic this weekend, the sophomore speedster batted .500 (5-for-10) with a double, triple, and a team-high four runs scored. Hughes was her typical patient self at the plate, drawing four walks compared to just one strikeout, and stole three bases, as well. She slashed .500/.643/.800 and currently leads the squad with a .424 season average, four home runs, 11 runs driven in, and 12 runs scored. Through 12 games, she's slashing .424/.535/.879.
 
Quense took her first loss of the season on Friday against #3 Florida but bounced back with wins over Elon and Georgia Southern over the next two days. Facing the Gators, the senior matched 2016 First Team All-American Delanie Gourley step for step over the first five innings, allowing just one hit, before Florida combined for four runs in the sixth inning. Against Elon, Quense earned the win by limiting the Phoenix to two runs on five hits, while striking out four, and then capped the weekend off in impressive fashion by firing a complete game one-hitter against the Eagles. She allowed just one single and one walk while fanning six. On the year, the 2016 All-Conference Second Teamer is 8-1 with a 1.58 ERA, with five complete games and two shutouts.
 
Aughinbaugh has steadily improved since making her collegiate debut two weeks ago against #10 Arizona and put forth her finest effort of the season to date with her own one-hitter against Oakland on Saturday evening, her first career shutout. The day before, the freshman relieved Quense against Elon with one scoreless inning, as well. The Port Tobacco, Md. native also saw action against the Phoenix as a pinch runner, scoring twice, and received her first at bat of the year, singling to the pitcher. On the year, Aughinbaugh is now 2-3 with a 3.62 ERA, a mark she has dropped in every game since her first start against the nationally-ranked Wildcats on February 9.
 
The Rams are in Raleigh, N.C. this coming weekend for a three-day tournament. Fordham will face Lehigh to begin the event, on Friday, March 3, at 10 a.m., and will take on Rutgers immediately afterwards. The following day, they will face the hosts, N.C. State, with the remaining two games of the weekend to be determined via the results of the first three contests.