Box Score March 9, 2012
Final Stats
Clearwater, Fla. -
The Fordham softball team opened day one of the Under Armour Showcase tournament with a 3-0 shutout of Green Bay and an 8-2 setback to Kennesaw State. The Rams are now 5-11 on the season.
Game 1
Jamie LaBovick led off the game with a base hit through the right side. Two batters later, the red-hot Paige Ortiz lifted a single into left and LaBovick moved to third with one out. Elise Fortier then ripped a hard line drive that was snagged at first and Oritz was doubled off for the third out. The Rams collected a pair of hits but no runs in the first.
Jen Mineau was on the rubber for Fordham and after striking out the first two batters she faced, she gave up consecutive singles to Alli Rivera and Stacey Butts. From there, she escaped the jam by inducing Danielle Peerenboom to pop up.
Green Bay had a scoring chance in the bottom of the fourth when Butts ripped a double into the right-center gap. Tia Collins came in to run and she moved to third on a sacrifice bunt from Peerenboom. So with one out, the Phoenix had the go-ahead run on third base. Mineau then recorded her sixth strikeout of the game by fanning Paige Newtols for the second out. The threat was over two batters later when Amanda Omahen grounded out to third. The game remained scoreless heading into the fifth inning.
Brianna Turgeon led off the Rams' half of the frame with a triple into the gap in right-center. Two batters later, Lindsey Kay Bright got Fordham on the board with a bloop single that scored Turgeon and made it 1-0, Fordham.
Mineau retired the next six Phoenix hitters, three of which came on strikeouts, which gave her nine strikeouts through the first six innings. Fordham gave Mineau some much needed insurance runs in the seventh.
With two outs and Kat VanBenschoten on first via a fielder's choice, Bright surprised everyone with a bunt single down the line to put runners on first and second. Brianna Ciuffi came in to run for VanBenschoten and both Ciuffi and Bright scored on a two-RBI double into the right field gap from LaBovick. The Rams had a 3-0 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh.
Mineau retired Green Bay in order and Fordham had the shutout win. Mineau went the distance, struck out ten, and allowed just a pair of hits. Bright and LaBovick each had two hits for the Rams. With the victory, Fordham improved to 5-10.
Game 2
Fordham sent Taylor Pirone into the circle against Kennesaw State looking for her first win of the season. She threw a scoreless first and surrendered a walk to Carly Van Auken.
Pirone gave up a benign single in the second to the leadoff hitter, but she retired the next three batters in order. In the bottom of the second, Gabby Luety led off with a walk. Ciuffi came in to run for her and she stole second to put the first runner of the game into scoring position for either side. Ciuffi would be stranded at second.
The Owls pushed four runs across in the third as Jensen Hackett singled and advanced to second on a throwing error by LaBovick. Hackett moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. After Pirone surrendered a walk to Van Auken, Jessica Cross lifted a sacrifice fly to right and Hackett tagged and scored to give Kennesaw State a 1-0 lead. The next batter was Sharon Swanson, the Atlantic Sun Conference's leader in home runs and RBI. Pirone intentionally walked her and Bianca Durant ripped a two-RBI double to left center that scored Swanson and Van Auken and gave the Owls a 3-0 lead. Durant advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on an infield single from Kaylee Williams, giving Kennesaw State a 4-0 lead.
Fordham answered back in the bottom of the third as Bright hits a Baltimore chop base hit to shortstop. She stole second later in the inning and scored on a two-out RBI single to right from Ortiz. The Rams were on the board, as they trailed 4-1. Fortier followed Ortiz with a single to short and Oritz moved to second where Erica Wills came in to run for her. Luety followed Ortiz with a pop-up in front of the plate, and Kennesaw State catcher Brittany Moore drops the ball, allowing Wills to score and Luety get to second. At the end of three innings, the Owls led the Rams 4-2.
Daubman relieved Pirone in the fourth and Kennesaw State gave her a rude welcome by scoring two more runs. Hackett connected on a one-out single to short. She came in when Natalie Rhodes ripped a double to right. Two batters later, Cross made the score 6-2 with an RBI base hit that scored Rhodes.
The Rams got two runs on base in the bottom of the fourth on a base hit by VanBenschoten and a walk to Bright. The Owls escaped the jam, though, when LaBovick grounded into a double play to end the inning.
Fordham loaded the bases in the fifth when Nicole Callahan led off with a single, Oritz reached on an error and Luety earned a one-out walk. From there, Turgeon popped up and Palumbo grounded out and the Rams stranded three runners on base.
Kennesaw State put the game away in the sixth when Hackett reached second on a two-base throwing error by Daubman. She moved over to third on a infield single from Rhodes and scored on the back end of a double steal to make the score 7-2 for the Owls. Rhodes made it 8-2 after she got to third on an infield single and scored on a sacrifice fly from Swanson.
The Rams failed to score in the final two innings and the Owls won 8-2. Pirone suffered the loss for Fordham. Ortiz and Bright led the Rams with two hits in the game.
Fordham faces Rutgers and Central Michigan on day two of the tournament. The first pitch with the Scarlet Knights is slated for 9:15 AM and the game with the Chippewas is scheduled for 2:00 PM.
