Box Score April 11, 2008
Box Score
Bronx, N.Y. -
The Fordham softball offense continued to pound out the hits this afternoon, collecting 28 in a doubleheader sweep of Manhattan, 10-4 and 10-0 in five innings at Bahoshy Field. With the sweep, Fordham moves over the .500 mark for the first time this season at 21-19 overall, while Manhattan drops to 4-21.
In game one, Fordham got out to a great start, as Allison Twarowski led off the game with a solo home run, her third of the season. Just one batter later, Mary Beth Puccio hit another solo home run, her second of the year.
After Manhattan tied the game at two in the second, Fordham scored four times in the bottom half of the inning to grab a 6-2 advantage, all with two outs. Melissa Andrews started the rally with a single, followed by an RBI-double by Puccio. After a walk to Allison Storc, Jocelyn Dearborn doubled to center, scoring Puccio. Erin Fisher then ripped a two-run double, scoring Storc and Dearborn.
Manhattan closed the gap to 6-4 with single runs in the third and fourth innings, but the Rams notched three runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 9-4 edge. Storc and Dearborn opened with back-to-back singles with Fisher bringing home Storc on a double down the left field line. Samantha Pellechio then reached on an error, allowing Fisher and Dearborn to score.
Fordham closed out the scoring with a single run in the fifth on a squeeze play bunt by Storc to score Andrews, who reached on a double and moved to third on a ground out.
Nicole Ayres (7-8) got the win in relief, pitching four innings, allowing one run on three hits with seven strikeouts, while Allison Twarowski threw the first three innings, giving up three unearned runs on four hits. At the plate, Fisher was 2-for-3 with two doubles and three RBI, while Puccio went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI. Jocelyn Dearborn was 3-for-4 with two doubles and two runs scored, with Melissa Andrews also having three hits and two runs scored.
In game two, Fordham jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first. Andrews singled with one out, which was followed by a two-run home run by Puccio, her second of the day and third of the season. Dearborn then doubled, moved to third on an error, and scored on a single by Fisher.
Fordham tacked on five runs in the second for an 8-0 lead. Meghan Shager started the inning with a single up the middle. After a strikeout, Twarowski crushed a two-run home run over the scoreboard for her second of the day and fourth of the season. Andrews then singled and came around to score on a triple by Puccio. After an out and a walk to Fisher, Megan Waldron singled to left, scoring Puccio, but the ball was misplayed in the outfield, allowing Fisher to score as well.
The Rams capped the scoring with two in the third for a 10-0 advantage. Stephanie Mott opened the frame with a single, and moved to second on a wild pitch. Andrews then singled her home. After Andrews stole second, Puccio delivered an RBI-double to score Andrews, leaving her just a single shy of the cycle.
Puccio though was unable to get another at bat, as she was left in the on-deck circle, when the mercy rule was invoked. She finished the game 3-for-3 with a double, a triple, a home run, and four RBI. Andrews also finished with three hits, three runs scored, two stolen bases, and extended her hitting streak to 16 games. In the circle, Beckah Wiggins and Juanita Gonzalez combined for the three-hit shutout, as Wiggins (8-6) threw the first four innings for the win, allowing two hits with four strikeouts, while Gonzalez got two strikeouts in her one inning of work.
The Fordham softball team will next be in action on Sunday, April 13th, as they host St. Bonaventure at 12:00 PM for an Atlantic 10 doubleheader at Bahoshy Field.
