Box Score March 5, 2011
Final Stats
Orlando, Fla. -
The Fordham softball team fell to the Fighting Illini of Illinois 4-1, on day two of the 2011 Citrus Classic from the Disney Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida. The team evened its 2011 record at 8-8 on the season.
Illinois came out and scored a run in the top of the first inning. Danielle Zymkowitz led off the game with a single to left field. She advanced to second when Chelsea Plimpton uncorked a wild pitch, and she came in to score on an RBI double from Meredith Hackett.
Down, 1-0 Fordham threatened to score in the bottom of the third. Beckah Wiggins led off with a single to center. Meghan Shager moved her along with a sacrifice bunt. Jocelyn Dearborn walked to put runners on first and second. Lindsey Kay Bright reached on a fielder's choice but all the runners were safe. The Rams had the bases loaded and one out. Nicole Callahan followed Bright and ripped a line drive that was snagged in the air by Zymkowitz, who then doubled Dearborn off third base and Fordham failed to score.
Fordham tied the game in the fifth. With the score still at 1-0 for the Illini, Wiggins led off with a walk. She later stole second base, where she was with two outs for Bright. Bright ripped an RBI single to center to tie the game, but Illinois took the lead again in the very next inning.
In the sixth, Jen Mineau relieved Plimpton with the score even at 1-1. Zymkowitz led off with a walk and stole second. The next batter, Hollie Pinchback, reached on an error by Bright in center. The error allowed Zymkowitz to score and let Pinchback reach third. Two batters later, Kelley Wedel singled home Pinchback and Illinois led 3-1. They added a fourth run when Danielle Vaji hit an RBI triple.
After a quiet sixth inning, Fordham once again rallied in its final at-bat and had a chance to tie the game. Wiggins reached on an error by Vaji. Katherine VanBenschoten was hit by the pitch and the Rams had two runners on base. Dearborn followed with a single to center that loaded the bases with just one out. From their, Bright flied out and Nicole Callahan popped out and the game was over.
In the 4-1 loss, Plimpton got the start. She threw five innings, allowed just one run, didn't walk anyone and struck out four batters. Mineau took the loss in relief. The Rams collected just three hits on the day, all singles.
Game Two:
In The second game of the day, Fordham lost to #1#3 Alabama, 3-1. With the two losses, the Rams currently sit at 8-9 on the season.
The Crimson Tide got off to a quick start, as they scored in the very first inning. With one out, Jennifer Fenton was hit by the pitch. She then stole second to get into scoring position. With two outs, Cassie Reilly-Boccia singled in the infield and scored Fenton for a 1-0 Tide advantage.
Fordham tied the game in the very next inning without getting a hit. Jamie LaBovick worked a walk. She then advanced to second on a wild pitch and got to third on a ground out. With two outs, Chelsea Palumbo struck out, but the pitch was misplayed by the catcher, Kendall Dawson, and Palumbo got all the way to second while LaBovick came in with the tying run.
Fordham had a chance to take the lead in the top of the third inning. Jocelyn Dearborn led off with a single. She stole second and advanced to third on an infield single from Nicole Callahan. With runners on the corners and two outs, the Rams failed to score as Beckah Wiggins struck out swinging.
The game remained scoreless until the seventh. Starting pitcher, Jackie Traina, singled with one out. Later in the inning, Amanda Locke took the Chelsea Plimpton pitch over the wall for a two-run home run and the Crimson Tide beat the Rams 3-1.
Plimpton went the distance and took the loss. She is 4-6 on the season. She threw 6.1 innings, scattered only five hits, didn't walk anyone and struck out three batters. LaBovick was 1-2 with a run scored.
Fordham concludes play at the 2011 Citrus Classic on Sunday, March 6. They play Notre Dame 9:00 A.M. and close out play with North Carolina at 11:30 A.M.
