March 8, 2012

Live Video versus Central Michigan (Fee Required) | Live Video (Kennesaw State) | Live Stats (Kennesaw State)

Clearwater, Fla. - The 2012 Fordham softball team will participate in the UnderArmour Showcase Tournament from Clearwater, Florida, beginning on Friday, March 9 and concluding on March 13. The Rams enter the weekend with a 4-10 overall record.

Play begins for the team with a 4:15 PM matchup on Friday, March 9, against Green Bay and then face Kennesaw State immediately following that game. On Saturday, the opponents are Rutgers at 9:15 AM and Central Michigan at 2:00 PM. Sunday sees the Rams faceoff against Western Michigan at 9:00 AM. After a day off, the tournament concludes with Fordham facing Boston University on Tuesday, March 13th, at 3:30 PM. Following the Boston University game, the Rams will have an exhibition match with the Netherlands National team at 6:00 PM.

The Rams will be led into the tournament by senior right fielder, Nicole Callahan. The NFCA All Mid-Atlantic selection in 2011 is continuing her torrid play in 2012, entering the tournament with a .367 batting average and she leads the team in hits (18), total bases (24), doubles (6) and slugging percentage (.490).

The other standout at the plate is freshman Paige Ortiz. The designated player is off to a hot start this year, leading the team in both home runs (two) and RBI (eight). She complements that with a .304 batting average and a .478 slugging percentage.

In the circle, senior All-American Jen Mineau, who ended last year with a 24-9 mark, sports a 3-4 record on the year with a 3.02 ERA while tossing five complete games and striking out 55 batters in 44 innings.

The Phoenix are 1-3 so far this season as they opened the year with a win over Nebraska-Omaha and then lost three in a row to Northern Iowa, Drake and Iowa State. The team has four different players leading the side in hits with three including Miranda Reinke, who is hitting .375 with a run scored and three RBI. In the circle, Ashle Nannemann has recorded the only Green Bay win. She has one complete game to her credit and leads the staff with five strikeouts and a team-leading 5.40 ERA.

The Owls are 10-8 on the season and have faced A-10 opponent Saint Louis as well as formidable foes Georgia Tech and Alabama-Birmingham. Sharon Sawson is the catalyst for the offense as she leads the team in hitting (.392), home runs (eight), RBI (17), total bases (50), runs (15) and slugging (.980). Jessica Cross enters the tournament hitting .370 and is tied for the team lead in hits (20). The four-man pitching staff is led by Amanda Henderson, who sports a 4-3 record and leads the squad in ERA at 1.89. She has seven starts in nine appearances to complement her four complete games, all of which lead the staff, and has fanned 65 hitters in 44.1 innings.

The Scarlet Knights enter the competition in the midst of a five game losing streak. Brittney Lindley has been the offensive leader for Rutgers, hitting .500 and leading the team in runs (nine), hits (11), doubles (four), home runs (three), RBI (10), and total bases (26). She currently posts an other-worldly 1.182 slugging percentage. No other Rutgers player is hitting above the .300 mark this season. In the circle, Alyssa Landrith has the best record on the staff at 3-2. She boasts a 6.39 ERA, has two complete games and is tied for the team lead in strikeouts with 16. Rutgers will put Abbey Houston and Noelle Sisco in the circle as well.

The Chippewas have won three of their last five after opening the year 0-5. Macy Merchant is having a standout year at the plate, entering the weekend with a .387 batting average while leading the team in hits (12). She is also second in total bases and steals. The power has been provided by Molly Coldren, who has all three Central Michigan home runs and leads the squad in RBI (eight), triples (one) and total bases (17). Central Michigan uses a four-pitcher rotation and Kara Dornbos, Chelsea Sundberg and Morgan Yunker each have a victory for the school and Kristen Kuhlman has a staff-best 2.47 ERA. Sundberg leads the team with 15 strikeouts and two complete games.

The Broncos enter the tournament winners of three of their last five contests. Courtney Rousseau leads the team with a .395 batting average and hit .529 this past weekend. She has hit safely in each of the team's first nine games of 2012 and has a 10-game hit streak dating back to the Broncos' final game against Notre Dame at the NCAA Regional. Meredith Whitney became only the fourth Bronco pitcher to throw a no-hitter in program history, recording her first career no-no against Bethune-Cookman.

The Terriers boast wins over Big 10 foe Illinois as well as Memphis. Offensively, the team is led by Megan Volpano, who is hitting a team-high .357, and leads the squad in hits (10) and RBI (eight). Emily Roesch has provided power early with a pair of home runs and three doubles. Holli Floetker is the workhorse of the staff, posting a 5-2 record with a 3.23 ERA. She has four complete games and a shutout.

Following the UnderArmour Showcase, the team will compete in one more tournament before heading north permanently as the Rams will play in the JMU Days Inn Invitational hosted by James Madison University. The tournament will run from March 16 through March 18.