League Release
Newport News, Va. – The Fordham softball team picked up two more weekly Atlantic 10 awards, the first of the season for each honoree, as
Sydney Canessa was named Co-Player of the Week and
Skylar Johnston earned Rookie of the Week, the league announced on Monday. The two accolades bring the team's total up to 18 on the year, now with eight different Rams earning awards.
Canessa and Johnston each had terrific weeks at the plate in helping Fordham to a 4-1 record in league action. Canessa set two program records, as well, while also becoming the third Ram to ever reach 100 career walks.
Canessa slashed .556/.583/1.056 for the week and began with a record-setting performance in game one of Wednesday's doubleheader at St. Bonaventure. The senior became the first player to record six hits in a single game and did it without recording an out, finishing 6-for-6 with a career-high eight RBI on five singles and a grand slam, plus four runs scored as the team scored a program-record 23 runs in the win. Canessa's third-inning two-run single broke a 6-6 deadlock and proved to be the eventual game-winning runs. The senior also ripped a RBI single in the second and the grand slam in the fourth inning to put her team up 13-6 at the time, later adding a third run-scoring single in the sixth for the Rams' 20
th run. She added a walk and a sacrifice fly in game two and finished the day 6-for-9 with nine RBI.
Against George Washington for this past weekend's three-game series, Canessa batted 4-for-9 overall with four runs scored. The third run, on Johnston's third-inning two-run single, in game two of Sunday's doubleheader was the 182
nd of Canessa's career, breaking a tie for most all-time with Allison Twarowski '08. On Saturday, Canessa recorded a sac fly and a sixth-inning solo home run, finishing 2-for-3 with two RBI, a walk, and a stolen base. One of four Rams to tally a hit in Sunday's game one loss to the Colonials, Canessa bounced back with a solid showing in game two, going 1-for-2 with a solo home run, two walks, and three runs scored.
The senior continues her climb up several all-time lists in program history, featuring in the top-five in eight different career categories. You can check out the team's record book,
here.
Johnston has steadily improved her game as her freshman campaign has gone along and turned it up a notch once conference play began. The Virginia Beach, Va. native leads the team with a .463 batting average in 15 Atlantic 10 appearances and 13 starts, with the third-most hits, 19, and fourth-most runs batted in, 15.
Johnston missed Fordham's lone loss this past week due to illness and helped the Rams to a 4-0 record when she was available to play, making four starts between third base and designated player. The freshman slashed .643/.667/.857 and notched a hit in all four contests, including three multi-hit performances. At St. Bonaventure, Johnston went 4-for-7 with a two-run double, a walk, and two runs scored between the two contests. On Saturday, the freshman provided the go-ahead runs with a two-run single up the middle in the third inning to overtake the Colonials and eventually take the series opener, 8-3. In the series finale on Sunday, Johnston notched her third three-hit game of the year as well as her third three-RBI performance, finishing 3-for-3 with two doubles and three runs driven in, plus two runs scored.
The Rams remain at home for this upcoming weekend's crucial there-game set against Dayton. Saturday's doubleheader will begin at noon and, between the two contests, six seniors will be honored during the team's Senior Day ceremony. Sunday's series finale is set to begin at 1 p.m.
