Box Score Feb. 22, 2008
Box Score
Cathedral City, Calif. -
Playing in replicas of Yankee Stadium and Wrigley Field, the Fordham softball team began play at the 2008 Palm Springs Classic today against a pair of Pac-10 opponents in 13th ranked Stanford and Oregon State.
In game one, Stanford connected for four home runs as the 13th ranked Cardinal topped Fordham 10-2 in five innings.
Stanford opened the contest with a 2-0 lead in the first, as Alissa Haber connected for a lead off home run just inside the left field foul pole. Stanford then picked up an RBI-single from Melisa Koutz, scoring Tricia Aggabao, who reached on a walk.
Fordham responded in the top of the second as Jocelyn Dearborn blasted a solo home run to left center to lead off the inning, her second of the season.
The Rams then knotted the game at two in the top of third, scoring an unearned run. Melissa Andrews opened the inning with a bunt single, and moved to single on a bloop single by Mary Beth Puccio. Dearborn then hit a chopper to the pitcher, who then threw away past the first baseman, allowing Andrews to score.
The Cardinal responded with five runs in the bottom half of the inning, highlighted by a two-run home run by Michelle Smith, her second of the season.
Smith then connected for a solo home run to center in the bottom of the fourth, to make it 8-2. It was her fourth career multi-home run game.
The Cardinal then ended the game in the fifth with their fourth home run of the game. This time, Rosey Neill hit a two-run shot to invoke the eight-run mercy rule, scoring Shannon Koplitz.
For Fordham, Jocelyn Dearborn led the offense, going 2-for-2 with a home run, while Melissa Andrews and Mary Beth Puccio were both 1-for-3. Nicole Ayres (2-2) took the loss, allowing seven run in three innings of work with two strikeouts.
For Stanford, Michelle Smith was 2-for-3 with a pair of home runs and three RBI, while Rosey Neill was also 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBI.
In game two, Oregon State's Kelly Dyer allowed just four hits over 5 1/3 innings as the Beavers edged Fordham, 2-1.
Oregon State had all their scoring in the bottom of the fifth, getting a pair of unearned runs in the inning. Erin Guzy opened the inning with a single and was sacrificed to second. After a strikeout, McKenna Lowe singled off Beckah Wiggins glove, which Jessica Weckenman did not field cleanly, allowing Guzy to score. Lowe later stole third, where the throw down to third was errant allowing her to score.
Fordham got a run back in the top of the sixth, making it 2-1. With one out, Allison Twarowski started the rally with a single to left. Puccio then hit a ground ball to third, but the throw to second went wide, leaving both runners safe. Dearborn then singled up the middle to score Twarowski.
The Rams kept the score at 2-1 after some outstanding defense, as with two outs and runners on second and third, Guzy hit a looper into short left that Weckenman was able to make a diving grab and keep the Rams within one.
Fordham though couldn't muster the tying run in the seventh, ending the game with three groundouts.
For Fordham, Beckah Wiggins (0-2) was the hard luck loser, as she didn't allow an earned run in six innings, giving up seven hits and striking out three. At the plate, Fordham managed just four hits, led by Dearborn, who was 1-for-3 with an RBI.
The Fordham softball team continues play at Palm Springs Classic tomorrow with match-up against the University of the Pacific at 8:30 PM (EST) and an exhibition contest against Team USA at 11:00 PM (EST).
