May 12, 2010
AMHERST, Mass. - Fordham travels to Amherst, Mass., for the Rams' eighth-straight Atlantic 10 Championship appearance. With a 43-8 overall record and a 16-2 conference slate, Fordham received a No. 2 seed for the tournament, giving the Rams a first round bye. With the first round bye, Fordham will play the winner of Game #2, which will take place on Wednesday, May 12 between the No. 3 Charlotte 49ers and No. 6 Rhode Island Rams. Fordham swept both teams in conference play this season. The Rams are 1-1 against the 49ers in A-10 Tournament play. Fordham has never played URI.
UPDATE: Fordham will play No. 3 Charlotte at 2 p.m. at the UMass Softball Complex. Charlotte defeated Rhode Island, 8-0 in five innings in the second game of the A-10 Championships. Charlotte's pitcher Emily Jeffery pitched a two-hitter, with nine strikeouts. Serena Smith had four RBI.
The last time Fordham started the Atlantic 10 Championships in Game 5 as the No. 2 seed was in 2007 and the Rams defeated Saint Louis 10-2 in five innings. Fordham was then defeated by UMass (5-0) and the Billikens (4-2) in a rematch.
The highest seeding for a Fordham softball team was a No. 1 seed in 2005. In 2005, there were only four teams to make the Championships so no first-round bye was awarded.
Fordham is currently riding a 19-game win streak and is 26-2 since tournament play ended in mid-March. The Rams' only conference losses were to the host school, No. 1 Massachusetts.
Fordham fans can follow the action live via the Atlantic 10's Championship Central Page. The Championship Page includes the option of live audio and video streaming of each contest for $7.95 per game.
FORDHAM AT THE A-10 CHAMPIONSHIPS
Fordham is 9-14 overall in Atlantic 10 Championship play since the Rams entered the league in 1996.
Fordham has only been a No. 2 seed one other time in their eight-straight tournament appearances. In 2007, the Rams were awarded a No. 2 seed after finishing 16-4 in the league. Fordham got the first round bye, then defeated Saint Louis, 10-2 (5 innings) in Game 5 before losing to UMass, 5-0, in Game 8 and falling 4-2 in their rematch against the Billikens in Game 9.
Fordham is most consistently a No. 4 seed. The Rams are 4-8 as No. 4. The Rams were a No. 1 seed in 2005, but lost to the Minutewomen, 7-0 in the final game.
A-10 CHAMPIONSHIPS 2009 - A LOOK BACK
The Rams hosted the 2009 A-10 tournament, where they were awarded a No. 4 seedwith a 13-7 conference record. Fordham won their first game, but lost to UMass and St. Joseph's in the double-elimination tournament.
Fordham defeated St. Joseph's 5-3 in the opening game of the tournament, St. Joseph's was a No. 5 seed. In Game 4, the Minutewomen got the better of the Rams, 5-1 for Fordham's first loss. The Hawks came back and knocked Fordham out of A-10 title contention in Game 6, winning 7-3. St. Jopseh's went on to lose to UMass in the titel game, 11-0 (5 innings).
Despite the loss, Beckah Wiggins, then a sophomore, was named part of the All-Championship team.
FORDHAM NEARLY SWEEPS A-10 CONFERENCE AWARDS
On May 11, officials from the Atlantic 10 announced the A-10 All-Conference Awards. Fordham's head coach Bridget Orchard tallied her third A-10 Coach of the Year honor, firstbaseman/pitcher Jamie LaBovick was voted as Rookie of the Year and junior secondbaseman Beckah Wiggins was named Co-Player of the Year.
Fordham had four members on the first team, one on the second team and one as honorable mention. Erin Fisher, Jen Mineau and Jocelyn Dearborn joined Wiggins on the First Team, LaBovick placed on the Second Team and shortstop Samantha Pellechio made honorable mention.
In addition, Mineau was voted as the A-10 Student-Athlete of the Year, as voted on by the conference's sports info directors.
Fordham has had only one other Player of the Year, with Katie Davis in 2005. The Rams have had four other Rookies of the Year: Nicole Ayers (2007), Laura Klaiber (2005), Sara Kinney (2004) and Michele Schlichtig (2003).
RAMS VS. 49ERS - THE SERIES
Fordham and Charlotte have a short history, dating back just four years to 2006. The Rams and 49ers have only met in Atlantic 10 play, after Charlotte joined the league. The series is led by Fordham, 7-5, who gained a two game advantage over Charlotte with a sweep at home this season.
Charlotte swept Fordham in their first meeting ever, 4-2, 9-1 (5) in a doubleheader at Fordham. The 49ers also swept the Rams in their last meeting, 1-0 (8)and 4-3 in 2009 at Charlotte.
Fordham defeated Charlotte in five consecutive meetings, from 2006-2008. The Rams and 49ers met twice in the Atlantic 10 Championships. Fordham took the first meeting, 4-0 in 2006. Charlotte won the most current meeting, 2-1, in 2008, when the 49ers hosted the tournament.
WHEN LAST THEY MET
Fordham took two games from Charlotte, 1-0, 8-0 (6 inn.) in a doubleheader on May 2 in a rumble in the Bronx. Junior Jocelyn Dearborn had two home runs in the series sweep, setting the tone early with a leadoff solo homer into right center. Dearborn's homer was the difference maker as Charlotte couldn't match Fordham's one run.
In the second game, Dearborn hit a three-run rip in the bottom of the sixth inning to end the contest early, tallying a eight runs for the Rams. Classmate Beckah Wiggins also sent a three-run bomb over the left field wall, making the score 5-0 in the fifth inning. Wiggins also had an RBI-double in the bottom of the fourth inning. With four RBI in game two, Wiggins (58 RBI) broke Fordham's single-season RBI record, set by Laura Klaiber in 2005 with 56.
Sophomore Jen Mineau pitched both games for Fordham, as she helped herself to a 29-5 season record. Mineau struck out 16 in the first game and four in the second. She allowed just two-hits through seven innings in the one-run victory and five in the second.
SCOUTING THE 49ERS
Charlotte comes into the A-10 tournament 38-15, 15-5 A-10) as the No. 3 seed. They will play No. 6 Rhode Island for a chance to play Fordham. The Niners swept URI earlier this season, with a season-high 14 runs on 14 hits in the first game, while in game two, pitcher Emily Jeffery tossed a four-hit shut out. The Niners split a DH with SLU to finish up before the tournament.
Jeffery comes into the tournament with a 21-9 record, which includes Charlotte season records of 314 strikeouts, 11 shutouts and only three wins away from tying the season win record.
On the offensive side, Serena Smith enters tournament play with a .326 average and a Charlotte school record 47 RBI, while she is tops on the team in triples, homers and slugging percentage. Smith is joined by Kendra McCall and Whitney Williams as the C harlotte batters averaging over .300 as McCall and Williams are batting .331 and .337 respectively.
RAMS VS. RAMS - THE SERIES
The Rams and Rams have played each other in doubleheaders since Fordham starting playing in the Atlantic 10 in the 1995-96 season. Fordham holds a six-game advantage over Rhode Island in the series history, winning the bulk of its games since 2003, the second season of the Bridget Orchard Era.
WHEN LAST THEY MET
Fordham defeated URI 8-1 and 3-0 in a doubleheader sweep on April 1. On offense it was the bats of junior secondbaseman Beckah Wiggins and rookie Jamie LaBovick who led the Fordham Rams with a combined 7-for-13, five RBI, five runs, two doubles, a triple and a homerun. LaBovick also earned her second win of the season as the starting pitcher in the second game versus Rhode Island to tally her second shut-out win of the season. The rookie is 2-1 as a starting pitcher with her last victory on Feb. 21 vs. Morehead State. LaBovick has been a part of four shutouts for Fordham so far this season.
LaBovick also hit the walk off homer in the second game for the eventual game-winning runs.
In the first game, junior Chelsea Plimpton advanced her record to 5-2 as she pitched a complete seven innings for the 8-1 win against URI. She struck out nine and only allowed four hits for one run.
SCOUTING THE RAMS
Rhode Island just made their way into the A10 tournament, making their first appearance since 2002. Rhody punched its ticket to the Atlantic 10 championship after it split its doubleheader with Temple on Sunday at the URI Softball Complex, defeating the Owls 3-2 (10 innings) in game two. Sophomore Jayshree Narendran picked up the win for the Rams against the Owls as she went the distance and did not allow an earned run. She also struck out six and only walked one batter. This season, Narendran leads the team in innings pitched (122.1), strikeouts (96) and appearances (27).
Rhody enters the tournament with five offensive players that are either freshmen or sophomores that have each logged 40 starts or more this season. Sophomores Brittany Julich, Nicole Massoni and Courtney Prendergastt along with freshmen Kelly Coker and Erika Szymanski have combined for 22 home runs and 94 RBI this season.
WHERE THE RAMS RANK
According to the NCAAs rankings after the May 9 games, Fordham has moved up consistently in the RPI ratings, going from a 31 after last week's games to a 30. So far this season, Fordham has tallied a win over Georgia Tech, who has an RPI of 5, and Texas A&M, who are 14th on the RPI ratings.
Above Fordham, the Rams have played UMass (RPI - 27), San Diego State (RPI - 25), California (RPI - 13), which acount for four of Fordham's eight losses. Fordham recorded victories over Hofstra (RPI - 34), Oregon State (RPI - 53) and Ball State (RPI - 60), all of which are in the RPI Top 64.
LAST TIME OUT
Fordham swept St. Bonaventure in the final regular season doubleheader, 4-2, 9-0 (6 innings) to finish 2010 on a 19-game win streak, a 45-8 overall record and 16-2 conference record and secured themselves a first round bye in the Atlantic 10 Championships as the No. 2 seed.
The Sunday doubleheader was senior day as the Rams said goodbye to their lone senior, starting centerfielder, Erin Fisher.
Junior thirdbaseman Jocelyn Dearborn hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the fourth inning in game two for her 37th RBI and 11th home run of the season. Dearborn sent in four runs in the doubleheader and was 2-for-7. Rookie Jamie LaBovick had four RBI, including a game-ending double in the sixth inning to score three runners. In the second game, Fordham scored five of their nine runs with two outs on the scoreboard.
Sophomore Jen Mineau and junior Chelsea Plimpton split time in the circle, with Mineau earning the win in game one and Plimpton in the second. Mineau struck out 16, her 24th double-digit strikeout performance of the season, for a total of 436. The sophomore's record is 30-5 for the season. Plimpton struck out eight batters in the second set of the doubleheader as she advanced her season record to 11-2.Sophomore Lindsey Kay Bright was 3-for-4 against St. Bonaventure with two runs and two RBI. Classmate Nicole Callahan was 2-for-5 with two runs and an RBI.
