(November 30, 2004) - Fordham Softball Coach Bridget Orchard announced today the hiring of Bob Baxter as an assistant coach as well as the signing of one recruit as infielder Gina Capardi (West Caldwell, NJ/James Caldwell) will suit up for the Rams in 2006. Baxter is no stranger to Fordham, as he is been the Rams' scorekeeper in the dugout the past three seasons, and is the father of current softball head coach Bridget Orchard and former Rams' basketball player Rob Baxter. A former softball coach in the Binghamton Area, he comes to Fordham after spending the past 34 years in the Binghamton High School system, serving in a variety of fashions from Associate Principal to Varsity Coach for Softball, Football, Track, and Cross Country to Physical Education teacher. He has also acted as the NCAA Clearing House Coordinator for Binghamton High School since 1998, as well as being the College Liaison for the Binghamton Area Girls Softball Association since 2002. He has also been a part of the YMCA Board of Directors in Binghamton, and has run track and basketball camps, as well as teams through the YMCA. On the recruiting front, Capardi has been an outstanding infielder for James Caldwell High School, helping them to the 2004 Essex County Championship, as well as the New Jersey Group II Section II Championship. As a junior, she hit .504 with nine doubles, four home runs, 22 RBI and 25 runs scored from the leadoff spot with a slugging percentage of .733. She has been named the Essex County Hitter of the Year twice (2002 and 2004), while being selected to the New Jersey All-State Team by The Gannett and Associated Press, as well as the Star-Ledger, in each of her three seasons at James Caldwell. The Fordham Softball team is coming off back-to-back 30-win campaigns and appearances in the Atlantic 10 Tournament. Last season, the team went 35-24-1, with two players receiving All-Atlantic 10 honors, as well as pitcher Sara Kinney receiving the Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year award. Founded in 1841, Fordham is New York City's Jesuit University. With 22 men's and women's varsity sports teams, the Fordham Rams are members of the NCAA Division I and compete in the Atlantic 10 Conference in baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, indoor and outdoor track, women's rowing, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis and volleyball and in the Patriot League (NCAA I-AA) for football. TRANSACTIONS: Fordham names Bob Baxter assistant softball coach.