March 2, 2012

Orlando, Fla. - The Fordham softball team will continue its challenging 2012 schedule as it competes in the 2012 Citrus Classic at the Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida. The team will face premiere teams like UCLA, North Carolina and Notre Dame as well as Virginia Tech and Longwood beginning on March 2 and going through March 4.

The Rams are currently 3-6 on the season with wins over Virginia, East Carolina and Fullerton. The team has already faced ranked opponents, #1/3 California and #15/14 Arizona and will face Massachusetts and Alabama both at home later in the season.

On offense, two players have separated themselves with their stellar play. Senior Nicole Callahan, who moved from designated player to right field, enters the tournament batting .406 and leads the team in hits (13), total bases (17), on base percentage (.457) and doubles (four).

In the circle, Jen Mineau enters play with a 3-4 mark and a 3.02 ERA. She leads the team in strikeouts (55, in just 44 innings) and has tossed five complete games. Freshmen Taylor Pirone and Michelle Daubman have both seen time on the rubber as well.

The Hokies enter the competition with a 9-6 mark including wins over fellow A-10 school Saint Louis and #15 Oklahoma State. The offensive star of the team is Courtney Liddle who has a .419 average to complement her team best 13 RBI, .628 slugging percentage, and 27 total bases. Dani Anderson is also a key contributor with a .375 average and a .528 on base percentage.

In the circle Jasmin Harrell is the ace of the staff, leading Virginia Tech in appearances (9), wins (5) and complete games (8). Additionally, Harrell had a 2.09 ERA and 48 strikeouts.

The Tar Heels are 11-2 on the season with notable wins over Penn State and Minnesota. Logan Foulks paces the team in hitting (.444), home runs (3), RBI (12) and slugging (.778). Another key contributor is Ally Blake, who enters the tournament hitting .410 with three home runs and eight RBI. Blake also leads the team with 30 total bases.

Lori Spingola is 8-2 with an ERA of 2.70 on the mound for North Carolina. Spingola has tossed five complete games, two of which were shutouts. She also leads the staff with 73 strikeouts in just 49.1 innings pitched.

The Bruins are 11-4 entering the competition with key wins over Syracuse and fellow Fordham opponent UC-Davis. Katie Schroeder is the offensive catalyst for UCLA as she leads the team in hitting (.481), runs scored (15) and hits (25). Samantha Camuso has a stellar .409 average, is second on the team in slugging (.727) and home runs (3) and has driven in 16 runs.

The Bruins feature a pair of arms they put in the circle regularly as Jessica Hall leads the staff in appearances (10), complete games (5), ERA (1.28), and strikeouts (48). She is tied with Ally Carda for the team lead in wins with five. Carda sports 2.95 ERA and has started seven games.

The Lancers have a record of 11-3 on the season and have won four straight. The team has wins over local opponents Iona, St. Peter's, St. John's and Seton Hall. Marci Christian is a star at the plate, currently hitting .389 with five home runs and 19 RBI. Brooke Short is hitting .462 and leads Longwood in hits (18). She is slugging .667 and boasts a .532 on base percentage.

Short is also a leader in the circle for the Lancers. She posts a 5-1 record, a team-best 3.36 ERA and leads the staff with 5 complete games. Short also leads the team in shutouts (2) and saves (2).

The Irish enter the tournament with a 4-5 record and boast wins over North Carolina (twice) and Penn State. Dani Miller was named Big East Player of the Week on February 27, and she leads the team in batting (.433), home runs (4), RBI (14), total bases (28) and slugging (.867).

Laura Winter is the workhorse in the circle for Notre Dame. She leads the staff in appearances (7), complete games (3) and saves (2). Winter is 2-3 on the season and has a 3.32 ERA while leading the team in strikeouts with 41.

The Rams follow up the Citrus Classic with a another trip to Florida next weekend to compete in the Under Armour Showcase in Clearwater from March 9-13 and than take a trip to Virginia for JMU Days Inn Invitational from March 16-18 the before they head north to open up the home portion of the schedule against St. John's on March 20 at the newly refurbished Bahoshy Field.