Box Score March 12, 2011
Princeton Final Stats | Syracuse Final Stats
Charlottesville, Va. -
The Fordham softball team evened its record at 10-10 with a 15-0 win over Princeton on Saturday, March 12. Chelsea Plimpton allowed just one base runner as she threw a five-inning no hitter to record the victory.
The Tigers got the leadoff man on base in the bottom of the first, as Nicole Ontiveros reached on a throwing error by Jocelyn Dearborn. Ontiveros advanced to second on the error, but got stranded there as Plimpton got the next batter to pop up and then got two strikeouts to retire the side. The Tigers wouldn't have another base for the entire game.
Fordham capitalized on the strong pitching and gave Plimpton a lead in the second inning. After the first two batters of the frame were retired, Jamie LaBovick reached on an error. Chelsea Palumbo singled through the left side and advanced LaBovick to second. Meghan Shager promptly walked to load the bases. From there, Lindsey Kay Bright picked up a clutch-hit, lacing a 2-RBI double to left center that scored LaBovick and Palumbo. The Rams had a 2-0 lead.
Fordham blew the doors off the game just an inning later, when they scored seven times to take a 9-0 lead. Nicole Callahan led off with a single to left field. Brittney Longo came in to run for her. Samantha Pellechio earned a walk and the Rams had two runners on base. Beckah Wiggins then reached on a fielder's choice as Longo was forced at third. The next batter was freshman Gabby Luety. With one swing of the bat, Luety hit a three-run home run and the Rams had a 5-0 lead. But Fordham was just getting started in the inning.
Palumbo recorded her second hit of the game with another single to right field. She came in when Shager singled later in the inning. With the score 6-0, Dearborn came up with two runners on base. She ripped a double to center that scored Bright and Shager and gave the Rams an 8-0 lead. Two batters later, Pellechio singled home Dearborn and Fordham led 9-0.
The Rams added to their stout lead in the very next inning as they scored six more runs. Beckah Wiggins led off with an infield single to third. Luety walked and Brianna Ciuffi ran for Luety. LaBovick singled up the middle for an RBI as Wiggins scored. Palumbo followed with a single to right to load the bases. Shager then made it 11-0 as she hit an RBI groundout that scored Ciuffi. Dearborn followed with a three-run home run that plated LaBovick and Palumbo ahead of her. The Rams led 15-0.
Plimpton retired the Tigers in order and she had her no nit game. She went all five innings, didn't walk anyone and struck out seven of the 16 batters she faced. The Rams slugged 15 hits, including home runs from Luety and Dearborn. Palumbo led Fordham with three hits. Nine different Rams collected at least one hit.
Game 2
The second game of the day saw Fordham improve to 11-10 on the season as the Rams used eight innings to defeat #25 Syracuse, 4-3. The Rams capped day one of the Cavalier Classic with a perfect 2-0 mark.
Fordham took a 1-0 lead in the first inning as Dearborn singled up the middle. She then advanced to home on three wild pitches, taking one base each time.
The Orange pushed two runs across in the top of the third to take a 2-1 lead. Shirley Daniels worked a one-out walk. Stephanie Watts followed Daniels with a two-run home run off of Fordham starter Jen Mineau and Syracuse had their first lead of the game.
The Orange made the score 3-1 just one inning later as Kelly Sacco led off the fourth with a solo homerun, the second round tripper for the Orange in the game.
Fordham got a run back in its half of the fourth. Nicole Callahan laced a one-out single to center. Longo came in to run for her. Longo came around to score when Pellechio hit into a fielder's choice and a throwing error by the second baseman. The run made the score 3-2. Fordham tied the game at 3-3 when Dearborn hit a solo home run in the sixth inning.
The game's outcome was determined in the eighth. Dearborn led off the inning with her second homerun of the game. The solo shot was a walk-off homer that gave the Rams a 4-3 win. They are now 11-10 on the season.
Plimpton came out of the bullpen to record the win. She threw 4.1 innings of scoreless relief. Mineau gave up three earned runs in her 3.2 innings of work. Dearborn had three of the Rams six hits including two home runs.
Fordham returns to action on Sunday, March 13, when they play Virginia and Princeton. The game with the Cavaliers is scheduled for 11:30 A.M. and the game with Princeton is slated to begin at 4:30 P.M.
