Box Score March 14, 2009
Box Score
College Park, Md. -
Following an 11-run performance on Friday night, the Fordham softball bats were still alive on Saturday, as the Rams hit a total of four home runs, while Mary Beth Puccio collected five hits on the day, as Fordham topped Howard, 8-6, in the first game, and then defeated host Maryland in the second, 6-2, at Taylor Stadium in College Park, Maryland.
With the sweep, Fordham improves to 13-8 on the season, and have now won five in a row.
In game one, Samantha Pellechio and Maggie Seidel each homered and drove in three runs, while Beckah Wiggins threw three innings of hitless relief, as the Rams rallied for an 8-6 win over the Howard Bison.
Howard (5-16) started the game with the first runs of the game in the top of the first, taking a 3-0 lead, courtesy of an RBI-single by Nicole Saez and a two-run home run by Emily Johnson.
The Rams then grabbed a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the second, as they rallied for four runs on five hits. Megan Waldron started the frame with a double to right center. Jo Kranisky then dropped in a single to right center. Maggie Seidel then crushed a three-run home run to left, her first of the season. Melissa Andrews kept the inning going as she beat out a ground ball for an infield hit and moved to second on a base hit by Mary Beth Puccio. After an illegal pitch advanced the runners, Samantha Pellechio lifted a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Andrews.
Howard regained the lead with three runs in the top of third, taking a 6-4 lead. The Bison tied the game on a solo home run by Courtney Young. Later in the frame, Howard loaded the bases and got a run on a sacrifice fly by Bien-Amie, as well as on a Fordham error.
The score held true until the bottom of the sixth, where Fordham erupted for four runs, taking an 8-6 edge. Shager opened with a single through the right side, and moved to second on a wild pitch. Andrews then doubled off the center field wall, scoring Shager. Lindsey Kay Bright then singled up the middle, scoring Andrews, but would be thrown out going to second on the play. Puccio then singled to left, followed by a two-run home run by Pellechio to centerfield, her fourth of the season.
Jen Mineau would enter the game in relief of Beckah Wiggins in the seventh inning, recording the final three outs for her third save of the season. Wiggins (6-4) threw three innings of hitless relief to post the win, while starter Chelsea Plimpton pitched the first three innings, allowing five earned runs on six hits with three strikeouts. At the plate, Puccio was 3-for-4, while Pellechio and Seidel each had a home run and three RBI. Andrews, Bright, and Shager also registered multi-hit games.
In game two, Mary Beth Puccio and Jocelyn Dearborn each homered, while Jen Mineau threw a complete game six-hitter, as the Rams topped Maryland, 6-2.
The Rams struck first in the top of the second inning without the courtesy of a hit. Pellechio drew a leadoff walk and was pinch run for by Jessica Richards. Richards would then make her way around the bases on three wild pitches, giving Fordham a 1-0 lead.
Fordham extended their lead to 4-0 in the top of the fourth inning, as Jocelyn Dearborn crushed a two-run home run to right center, her fifth of the year, scoring Pellechio, who led off with a walk. Waldron then walked, and moved to third on a single by Wiggins and a fielding error by the Maryland centerfielder. Pinch hitter Erin Fisher then lined a single off the pitcher to score Waldron from third.
Maryland cut the Fordham lead in half in the bottom half of the fourth with a pair of solo home runs. Nadine Blackie hit a one out solo shot to right, her first of the season, while Michelle Tekada hit her team leading fifth home run with two outs to left.
The Rams got a run back in the top of the fifth, as Puccio hit her first home run of the season, a solo shot to left center.
Fordham extended the lead to 6-2 in the top of the seventh, as Andrews reached on an error, and scored on an RBI-double by Puccio.
Mineau (6-4) would handle the rest, pitching a complete game six-hitter, allowing two earned runs and striking out three. At the plate, Puccio was 2-for-4 with a home run, a double, and two RBI, while Dearborn had a home run and two RBI.
The Rams will conclude play at the Maryland Invitational on Sunday, March 15th with a pair of games. They will face Seton Hall at 9:00 AM and then Delaware at 11:00 AM.
