Box Score May 14, 2010
AMHERST, Mass. - It was not the pitchers' duel that was predicted in the Atlantic 10 semi-final match up between the No. 2 Fordham Rams and the No. 1 Massachusetts Minutewomen. Instead, it was a home run derby as a record-breaking six hits were sent over the walls at the UMass Softball Complex.
In a game decided by how many runners you had ready to score on base, A-10 Rookie of the Year, Jamie LaBovick, led Fordham past the top-seeded and No. 21 Massachusetts, 7-5, tallying five RBI off two home runs and a trip to Saturday's Championship for the Rams.
LaBovick (Peoria, Ariz./Sunrise Mountain) hit a three-run bomb in the top of the seventh inning to break the 4-4 tie and win the game for Fordham. The rookie's five RBI was a career-best and was also tied the record for RBIs in a Atlantic 10 Championship game, which was set by Denise Davis of Rutgers in 1993 against Temple (May 15). LaBovick also hit a two-run homer in the third inning to give Fordham a 4-2 lead. Her two home runs tied the Atlantic 10 Championships home runs in a game record, which UMass' Sarah Reeves tied yesterday with two home runs against St. Joseph's. The record was set by Nan Sichler (Penn State) vs. Temple on May 7, 1988 and then again with Stacy Cullington (Massachusetts) vs. Fordham on May 13, 2005.
The seven runs scored by Fordham was the most earned runs scored on the Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Year, Sara Plourde, in her career. Plourde struck out eight Fordham batters, but recorded the loss as her record falls to 37-6.
With the win, Fordham extends their win streak to 21 games and earned themselves a spot in the Championship Final on Saturday at noon. The victory over the No. 21 Minutewomen was the third victory over a ranked opponent this season. Fordham also defeated No. 19/24 Texas A&M (Feb. 25) and No. 8/11 Georgia Tech (March 13). It is also the first victory over Massachusetts for the Rams in Atlantic 10 Championship play and the only loss for the Minutewomen at home since they fell to Washington on May 18, 2009 in an NCAA Regional contest. It is also UMass' only Atlantic 10 loss since Fordham defeated the then No. 24 Minutewomen, 5-4, on May 3, 2009.
Sophomore pitcher Jen Mineau (Schaghticoke, N.Y./Hoosic Valley Central) earned her 32nd win of the season with 13 strikeouts through seven innings. The 13-strikeout performance was Mineau's (32-5) 26th double-digit strikeout game of the season.
The Minutewomen got two runs across in their first at bat as Reeves hit a two-run homer over the left field wall toward the scoreboard, her third home run in two days, tying the record for most homers hit by an individual over the course of A-10 Tournament play.
Fordham tied it up on the next at bat as senior Erin Fisher (Woodinville, Wash./Woodinville) walked her way to the bases to lead off the second inning. Coming up in the No. 5 spot, junior Samantha Pellechio (Lebanon, N.J./North Hunterdon) answered the Minutewoman with a shot over the center field wall just left of the 220 sign. Pellechio's homer was the fourth of the season, and her 15th and 16th RBI.
In the third inning, Fordham took the lead as LaBovick said "See Ya" to the ball as she sent a line drive over the left field fence for another two-run rip for the Rams. Sophomore Lindsey Kay Bright (Federal Way, Wash./Decatur) scored on the hit as she made it on base with a hard hit infield single to the diving UMass shortstop to get on base.
In their next at bat, UMass tallied a run to make it a 4-3 game. Lead off batter Carly Normandin hit a double to center field, hit just out of Fisher's reach as she made a run for it. Two outs later, Reeves plated her third RBI of the day, sending a line drive down the right field line for a double. Mineau got herself out of the inning, striking out Katie Bettincourt swinging.
Fordham led off the third-straight inning with a runner on base, this time with junior catcher Meghan Shager (Conklin, N.Y./Susquehanna Valley) hitting a chopper up the middle. Designated player, Jamie Pollak (Chandler, Ariz./Corona del Sol) walked as Shager advanced to second. Pollak's walk was Plourde's third of the game. Rookie Jessica Crowley (Suffern, N.Y./Suffern) came in to pinch run for Pollak. Bright slapped a hit toward the UMass shortstop who ran in to field the play. The shortstop's throw to first was just in time, as Bright was called out, but Crowley and Shager advanced a base. With two outs and two Rams on, the Rams were unable to score some insurance runs as Fordham popped up to Plourde to end their at bat.
Mineau protected the one-run lead in the bottom of the fourth, striking out the side for the 47th time this season.
In the top of the fifth inning, with two outs, Fisher hit a long ball just over the wall in left center. Normandin made the play at the wall and reached over the fence, robbing the senior of her 15th home run of the season.
The No. 2 batter, Kyllie Magill tied the game, 4-4, in the bottom of the sixth inning with a huge hit over the right field wall.
Bright hit a single to shallow center field with one out on the board in the final inning, getting a base runner on for the lead. Junior Jocelyn Dearborn (New Milford, Pa./Blue Ridge) hit a double to the middle of left field to give the Rams two runners on in scoring position. The UMass leftfielder went after it but was too late for the catch.
It was go time for LaBovick, who came up with runners on base for the second time in the game. On the 1-2 pitch, LaBovick rocked one over the left center wall for her second homer of the day, giving Fordham a three run lead, 7-4.
After tallying two more outs to end the seventh inning, the Fordham defense put away the Minutewomen as Meghan Carta struck out for the third time for the first out. UMass looked to make a rally in the bottom of the seventh as Jessica Serio hit one over the wall in left center to cut Fordham's lead to two runs. No other Minutewomen would get on base as junior secondbaseman Beckah Wiggins (Conklin, N.Y./Susquehanna Valley) caught a fly ball behind LaBovick for the second out and Dearborn ran in down the third baseline to end the game with a pop fly ball.
Fordham is safe in the double elimination Atlantic 10 Championships for now. The Rams will play in the Championship final at 2 p.m. on Saturday. The Rams will wait to see who they will play as Charlotte, St. Joseph's and Massachusetts all have to in elimination games. No. 1 Massachusetts will play the winner between No. 3 Charlotte and No. 5 St. Joseph's at 5 p.m.
With the win, Fordham advances to 47-8 on the season and UMass falls to 39-8-1.
