Box Score April 15, 2009
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Bronx, N.Y. -
On what was a personal milestone day for one of Fordham's senior class, Hofstra's Christie Novatin spoiled the day, hitting a pinch-hit two-run home run in the top of the eighth inning to give the Pride a 4-3 extra-inning win over the Fordham Rams at Bahoshy Field on Wednesday.
With the loss, Fordham is now 28-16 on the season, while Hofstra improves to 20-15.
Hofstra opened the scoring in the top of the first, as Casey Fee dropped a single over Fordham second baseman Jessica Weckenman, stole second, and scored on a single by Sara Michalowski.
Fordham came right back in the bottom of the inning to take a 2-1 lead, as Melissa Andrews led off with a single to right and stole second. After a pair of strikeouts, Mary Beth Puccio connected for a two-run home run to right center, her fifth of the season. For Puccio, it was a milestone hit, as it gave her 101 runs batted in for her career, becoming only the fifth Ram to reach the century mark in RBI.
Hofstra though made it a short lived lead, as the Pride loaded the bases in the second and got an RBI-single from Fee to tie the game at two.
The Rams had an opportunity to regain the lead in the fifth, as Fordham had runners on second and third with one out. Hofstra reliever Erin Wade would get out of the inning, striking out both Lindsey Kay Bright and Samantha Pellechio.
The score stayed tied at two until extra innings. In the top of the eighth, Fordham retired the first two batters, but Laura Valentino reached on an error to extend the inning. Pinch-hitter Christie Novatin then connected for a two-run home run to right, her second of the season, to give the Pride a 4-2 lead.
Fordham closed to within 4-3 in the bottom half of the eighth, as Pellechio hit a two-out solo home run to center, her team-leading ninth of the season, but Trisha Dreslinski would make a diving catch on a Puccio pop up to end the game in Hofstra's favor.
Jen Mineau (12-9) took the loss, throwing five innings of relief, allowing two unearned runs on five hits with a pair of strikeouts. Chelsea Plimpton made the start allowing two earned runs in three innings of work. At the plate, Fordham managed only four hits in the game, two of which were the home runs by Pellechio and Puccio. Meghan Shager and Melissa Andrews registered the other hits for the Rams with Andrews also having a pair of stolen bases to give her 20 for the season, making her the first Ram to have three consecutive 20-stolen base seasons.
The Fordham softball team will next be in action on Thursday, April 16th, as they play a doubleheader at Seton Hall, beginning at 4:00 PM.
