Box Score April 11, 2012
Game One Stats | Game Two Stats
Loudonville, N.Y. -
It was the freshman who made an impression for the Fordham softball Rams as they swept a pair of games against Siena, 6-2 and 6-3, on Wednesday in Loudonville, New York. The two wins improved the team to 25-17.
Game One:
Fordham got its scoring on three-run home runs from two freshmen and received a stellar pitching performance from a third newcomer as the Rams defeated Siena 6-2 in the opener.
Fordham pushed three runs across in the first as the first three batters all reached base. Jamie LaBovick got on when her grounder was misplayed by the first baseman for an error. Nicole Callahan followed with a double to left center, and Paige Ortiz smacked her team leading tenth home run, and drove in her team-best 35th RBI, blasting a round tripper to the opposite field to give the Rams a 3-0 lead.
Fellow freshman Michele Daubman was in the circle for the Rams and she cruised through the first three innings, allowing just one hit and a hit batter. Daubman ran into a little trouble in the fourth as Siena got to her for a pair of runs.
Shannon Jones ripped a one-out single to left and Megan Volz hit a grounder back to Daubman. Daubman attempted to go to second but made an errant throw and both runners were safe. The next batter, Natasha Powlowsky, singled up the middle and advanced all the way around to third as Brianna Turgeon threw home to get Volz after Jones had scored to make it 3-1. Kayla Kaminsky then put an RBI double into centerfield and brought the Saints within one, at 3-2, as Powlowsky scored on the hit.
Fordham added to its slim lead just an inning later as Ortiz collected her second hit of the game with a two-out single to right center, and Brianna Ciuffi ran for her. Chelsea Palumbo followed her with a walk to put runners on first and second. Turgeon then made the score 6-2, courtesy of a three-run homer over the wall in right.
Taylor Pirone came out of the bullpen to throw the final three innings for Fordham, allowing four hits, but no runs. Daubman picked up the victory and improved to 3-4 on the year. She didn't allow an earned run and struck out four while Ortiz had two hits and three RBI while Turgeon was 1-for-1 with three runs batted in.
Game Two:
The second game saw the Rams wait an extra inning to open the scoring as they didn't push a run across the plate until in the second. Turgeon led off the frame getting hit by the pitch. and Palumbo followed her with a base hit to center. Two batters later, Fortier loaded the bases with a groundball to short that was misplayed for an error. Katherine VanBenschoten then gave the Rams a 1-0 lead with a groundout to third that scored Turgeon. Lindsey Kay Bright followed with an RBI infield single that scored Palumbo and put Fordham ahead, 2-0.
A two run lead was more than enough early on for Fordham starter Jen Mineau as she struck out eight of the first ten batters she faced, including all three in the second and third innings. The Saints finally got a hit off Mineau when the opposing pitcher, Jessika-Jo Sandrini, singled up the middle in the fourth.
The Rams loaded the bases again in the sixth as Turgeon reached on an error, Palumbo singled up the middle and Gabby Luety walked. Elise Fortier then gave Fordham an insurance run with a sacrifice fly to left field that scored Turgeon and gave the Rams a 3-0 lead.
The extra run proved was invaluable for the Rams as the Saints evened the score at three-all, in the bottom of the sixth inning. With two outs in the frame, Sandrini walked. The next batter, Shanon Jones lifted a ball to center that was misplayed for an error. Megan Volz followed Jones with a three-run home run off Mineau to even the score. All the runs were unearned in the inning.
Fordham regained the lead in the seventh with a two out rally that began with a Nicole Callahan single. Oritz followed her with a walk and Turgeon connected on the third three-run home run of the day for the Rams as they went on to win 6-3.
Turgeon had six RBI over the two games and Ortiz had a home run.
Fordham returns to action on Friday, April 13, when they welcome Saint Louis to Bahoshy Field for the first game of a two-game Atlantic 10 weekend series. The first pitch on Friday is slated for 3:00 PM.
