Box Score March 21, 2010
HARRISONBURG, Va. - Scoring nine runs in the sixth inning, the Fordham softball team defeated James Madison University, 16-2, in the final game of the James Madison Dukes/Days Inn Invitational on Sunday at Veterans Memorial Field.
Junior Jocelyn Dearborn (New Milford, Pa./Blue Ridge) was 2-for-3 with three runs, two RBI and two walks. Dearborn had a single in the third inning for an RBI to give the Rams a 2-1 lead. The Rams' leadoff batter hit a double in the top of the fourth to knock in the sixth run for Fordham.
Sophomore Jen Mineau (Schaghticoke, N.Y./Hoosic Valley Central) earned the win for the Rams and advanced her record to 15-3. Through five innings, Mineau tallied nine strikeouts and allowed just three hits for two runs.
With the win, Fordham advances to 19-6 on the season. James Madison is 12-14 overall.
The Rams and Dukes were tied in the second inning, 1-1, but Fordham went on a four-run scoring spree in the third to take a 4-1 lead. The Rams added two more in the fourth inning.
Junior Beckah Wiggins (Conklin, N.Y./Susquehanna Valley) hit a two-out solo homerun to centerfield in the top of the second inning to get Fordham on the board, but JMU's Katie Spitzer answered back with a solo run of her own.
In the second inning, freshman Chelsea Palumbo (Tabernacle, N.J./Seneca) led off with a walk. An out later, Dearborn singled up the middle on the first pitch to score the rookie shortstop. Dearborn was able to advance to second on the throw. After a pitching change by the Dukes, and a ground out by the Rams, rookie Jamie LaBovick (Peoria, Ariz./Sunrise Mountain) doubled to right center to score Dearborn and take a 3-1 lead. With runners on third and second, sophomore Nicole Callahan (Freehold, N.J/Freehold Township) reached first on a fielding error by the JMU secondbaseman, allowing Fisher and LaBovick to score and the Rams lead 5-1.
With two outs in the fourth inning, the Rams scored another two runs as Dearborn doubled down the left field line to score junior Meghan Shager (Conklin, N.Y./Susquehanna Valley) who had singled to third to lead off the inning. Sophomore Lindsey Kay Bright (Federal Way, Wash./Decatur) singled up the middle to score Dearborn from second and the Rams took a 7-1 lead.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, JMU cut the Fordham lead to five runs, 7-2, as Caitlen Manning homered to left field.
Fordham doubled their score, plus two, in the sixth inning as they scored nine more runs and the Dukes committed four errors. Dearborn scored the eventual game-winning run for the Rams as LaBovick flied out to right field, advancing the score to 9-2.
Senior Erin Fisher (Woodinville, Wash./Woodinville) tallied another two-out, two-RBI homer to put the Rams up 11-2.
Fordham would score five more runs in the sixth, all with two outs.
Bright was 2-for-5 with two RBI and one run. Fisher was 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI. LaBovick also had two RBI.
After another successful weekend, the Rams will return to action on Wednesday, March 24, when Fordham travels to Jersey City, N.J., to take on the Peahens of St. Peter's. The doubleheader will start at 3 p.m.
