Box Score March 5, 2010
Box Score
Clearwater, Fla. -
Jen Mineau showed tonight that she can do it as a starter or reliever, throwing a complete game shutout in Fordham's first game at the USF Under Armour Invitational to lead the Rams to a 1-0 win over FIU and then pitching three innings of one-hit ball in relief in the second game to lead the Rams to a 6-5 come-from-behind win over Florida Gulf Coast.
With the wins, the Rams improve to 8-3 on the year.
In the first game, Mineau continued her dominance on the mound, throwing seven shutout innings while allowing four hits and fanning seven.
The Rams picked up the only run of the game in the sixth as pinch hitter Jamie Pollock led off the inning reaching when on a passed ball after striking out. Beckah Wiggins came on to run for her but was forced at second on Erin Fisher's fielder's choice. Fisher advanced to second on a wild pitch and, one out later, stole third. Nicole Callahan then reached when her ground ball was misplayed by the FIU shortstop, allowing Fisher to score.
Mineau made that one run hold up, though the Golden Panthers did get runners to third in the sixth and seventh. In the sixth, Kayla Burri reached on a bunt single, was moved to second on a sacrifice and took third on the throw. But Mineau got Ashley McClain to pop out to second to end the inning.
In the FIU seventh, Brie Rojas opened the inning with a single, was sacrificed to second and moved to third on the throw. But Mineau got Jackie Tetlow to foul out to first and Laura Spiers to fly out to center to end the game.
The Rams threatened in the first when Jocelyn Dearborn opened the game with a walk and took third when Lindsey Bright reached on an error. But FIU pitcher Kasey Barrett struck out the next two batters before getting Jamie LaBovick to ground out to end the frame.
Fordham also got a runner to third in the fourth inning as Fisher walked with one out, stole second and, after LaBovick walked, took third on a ground out. But she was stranded there when Callahan ground out and Jo Krasnicky struck out to end the inning.
Mineau picked up her sixth win of the year for the Rams, who were limited to two hits by Barrett, both singles off the bat of Meghan Shager.
In game two, the Florida Gulf Coast took a quick 2-0 lead on a two-run home run from Jessica Gary in the top of the first. The Rams got one back in the home half of the inning as with two outs, LaBovick doubled and Fisher followed with a triple.
The game remained a 2-1 contest until the top of the fourth when Platt and Fernandez led off the frame with back-to-back doubles with Fernandez scoring later in the inning on an illegal pitch as the Eagles took a 4-1 lead.
Fordham went up 5-4 with a four-run fifth, highlighted by a two-run single from LaBovick. Shager, Dearborn and Bright opened the inning with consecutive singles to load the bases and LaBovick followed with a single to plate Shager and Dearborn. Bright then scored on a Fisher sacrifice fly, with LaBovick taking third where she would score on an infield single from Wiggins.
Florida Gulf Coast tied the game at five with a run in the top of the sixth, but the Rams came back with one of their own in the bottom of the inning as Bright and LaBovick led off with back-to-back singles and, one out later, Callahan delivered Bright with an RBI single.
Mineau, who came on in the fifth for the Rams, made the lead hold up, striking out the side in the seventh to pick up her second win of the night and her seventh of the year. She threw three innings of two-hit ball, striking out eight. LaBovick finished the game 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs while Bright and Wiggins each collected a pair of hits.
The Rams will continue play at the USF Under Armour Invitational on Saturday as they face Central Michigan at 10:30 AM and Memphis at 12:30 PM.
