April 27, 2010
BRONX, N.Y. - After another 3-0 week for the Fordham softball team, the Rams continue on the road for the final game away from Bahoshy this season. The Rams will face the Gaels of Iona in a local New York match up in New Rochelle, N.Y., on Tuesday, April 27 at 3:30 p.m.
Fordham (39-8, 12-2 Atlantic 10) is currently riding an 13-game winning streak. The Rams held on to a mid-week win at Hofstra on Tuesday, with a 1-0 shutout - won by shortstop Samantha Pellechio with a seventh-inning homer. The Rams have had success on the road this season, undefeated at 12-0. Then swept Temple with two shutouts, including a Friday afternoon no-hitter. Fordham’s scheduled games at St. Joseph were canceled due to rain. Fordham is 14-0 as the visiting team this season.
The Rams made their first appearance in a Top 25 poll this week, checking in at No. 24 in the Ultimate College Softball Coaches Poll.
Iona (22-17, 10-0 MAAC) is coming off a doubleheader sweep at Fairfield on Saturday, defeating the Stags, 10-0 in game one and 5-2 in game two.The Gaels have been on the road for two doubleheaders, losing to Seton Hall on Thursday.
Fordham is 4-0 against MAAC teams this season, sweeping doubleheaders against St. Peter’s and Manhattan.
SCOUTING THE GAELS
Iona split their last two doubleheaders against Fairfield and Seton Hall. Both of the doubleheaders were on the road.
At the plate, Iona is led by Jodi Peterson with a .390 average. Peterson has garnered 48 hits, 26 RBI, seven doubles and three triples. The Gaels’ RBI leader is Eileen McCann with 29. McCann has a team-best 11 homers.
In the circle, Sarah Jackson is the Gaels’ ERA leader with 1.91. Jackson is 13-5 as starting pitcher for Iona and has pitched 117 innings with 147 strikeouts. Batters have a .213 average against her.
Jackson is backed by Alyssa Maiese with a 6-9 record and 3.71 ERA. Maiese has 40 K’s.
RAMS VS. GAELS - THE SERIES
Fordham and Iona started their history as conference opponents in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Iona won the first two meetings and Fordham won the next three. In MAAC play, Fordham held a 5-4 series record over Iona. Fordham and Iona split the two MAAC Tournament games they played in 1990, with the Gaels getting the better of the Rams in the first game. Fordham knocked Iona out of the tournament in the second meeting.
Fordham has won the last seven-straight meetings against Iona. The Rams are 9-2 over the Gaels since 2002.
WHEN LAST THEY MET
The Rams and Gaels last met on March 28, 2008 at home at Bahoshy. The Rams took two from the Gaels, as three fordham pitchers combined for 17 strikeouts in the doubleheader. Fordham won the first game, 2-1, and the nightcap, 9-1 in five innings. Nicole Ayres threw six innings of two-hit ball, allowing one unearned run while striking out eight to pick up the win. At the plate, Allyson Storc was 2-for-4 with the grand slam and five total RBI while Samantha Pellechio also collected two hits.
LAST TIME OUT -- RAMS SWEEP OWLS
The Rams were rained out on Sunday at St. Joseph’s, but after Fordham took two games from Temple across town. The Rams swept the Owls, 6-0 on Friday (no-hitter) and 7-0 on Saturday to advance their Atlantic 10 record to 12-2.
On Friday, sophomore pitcher had a no-hitter, and recorded her 25th win in the circle for Fordham, making her the single-season wins record holder. Mineau pitched on Saturday again, earned the W and advanced her record to 26-5. Mineau had 25 K’s vs. the Owls.
Home runs were the scoring preference for the Rams has they tallied six total, for eight RBI. Junior Meghan Shager hit her career-first homer against Temple on Friday with a solo shot. Sophomore Jessica Richards had a homer in each game, both lead off home runs against pitcher Kristen Marris. Junior Jocelyn Dearborn led off the game on Saturday with a solo shot to left center, and junior Beckah Wiggins had a two-run rip to the same place in the top of the fifth. On Friday, rookie Jamie LaBovick hit a two-run homer, also to left center, to score herself and sophomore Lindsey Kay Bright.
NO-NO MINEAU
On Friday, April 23, Jen Mineau pitched her second no-hitter of the season, striking out 14 batters in a seven-inning shutout at Temple. Mineau has recorded the most no-hitters of any Fordham pitcher with four in her career. The only other Fordham pitcher to have a no-hitter was Michelle Schlichtig at George Washington on April 27, 2003. Schlichtig’s no-no was also a perfect game. Mineau has had two perfect games in her career, including the season-opener against Morehead State (Feb. 20) earlier this year.
A WINNING TRADITION
With a 39-8 record going into this weekend’s games, the Rams have a .830 winning percentage. The 39 wins marks the Rams’ eighth-straight 30-win season, and ties the Rams’ win record, which they set in 2007 with a 39-20 overall mark. Fordham is on par to have its best season since 2005 when they went 38-16. 2010 has been their fastest season to 30 wins in program history.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
Fordham is 14-0 in away games this season. With only eight losses, the Rams lost a doubleheader at home, and had scattered losses during tournament play on neutral ground during the early part of the season. On the road and in enemy territory, the Rams have a perfect record.
WE’RE GOING STREAKING!
The Fordham Rams are currently riding a 13-game win streak, the longest win streak of the season so far, dating back to April 6. In 2009, the Rams longest win streak was eight games, going from March 10 through March 18. In 2008, Fordham’s longest winning record was six games from April 8 through April 11, with three-straight doubleheaders.
The longest Fordham win streak was 16 games, from March 17 through April 7. LSU had the longest win-streak this season with 24 games. Currently, four teams have win streaks more than 15 games.
RAMS CRACK THE TOP 25
On April 27, Fordham was ranked for the first time in school history as they made their debut in the Ultimate College Softball Coaches Poll at the No. 24 spot. Previously, the Rams had been receiving votes in the UCS Poll since March 1.
ON DECK
The Rams will host Charlotte on Sunday, May 2 in a doubleheader will prove to be very important in determining the final Atlantic 10 standings. Both Charlotte and Fordham are currently 12-2 in the conference and tied at second place. First pitch of the twin bill is slated for noon at the Bahoshy Softball Complex, ending Fordham’s seven-game road swing.
Fordham’s last conference games were rained out at St. Joseph’s on Sunday, but the 49ers will travel to Washington, D.C. on Friday and Saturday for a two-game set. After Sunday, Fordham has one more chance to get some A-10 wins with a doubleheader against St. Bonaventure on May 9. Charlotte will have a doubleheader against St. Louis on May 8.
