Box Score March 16, 2013
Detroit Box Score | Binghamton Box Score
Harrisonburg, Va. -
For fans watching the Fordham softball games on Saturday, the movie "The Natural" must have come to mind very often. The two contests against Detroit and Binghamton at the JMU Invitational saw 3 delays for lightning and plenty of home runs, as the Fordham offense posted 31 total runs and 11 home runs to extend its win streak to ten games and improving to 15-9 on the year.
In game one, Fordham tied a school record with five home runs, while Elise Fortier also tied a school record with five runs scored, as the Rams blitzed Detroit, 18-8, in 6 innings.
Ahead 1-0 on two errors, Fordham added five runs in the second for a 6-0 lead on the Titans. Paige Ortiz started things with a solo home run to left center, which was later followed by a grand slam home run by Gabby Luety.
The Titans closed the gap to 6-5 by the end of the third inning, however the Rams responded with four runs in the fourth to regain a 10-5 lead. Jamie LaBovick kicked off the inning with a solo home run to left center and one out later Elise Fortier went deep for another solo home run. A pair of walks and a hit by pitch loaded the bases for Ortiz, who ripped a two-run single to center, scoring Luety and Chelsea Palumbo.
Detroit got a run back in the bottom of the frame to pull within four, 10-6, but Fordham had the answer in the top of the fifth with three more runs to lead 13-6. This time, the Rams loaded the bases on three walks with Luety delivering a two-run double to left, and was followed by an RBI-fielder's choice by Kayla Lombardo.
The Titans notched a single run in the bottom of the inning, but could not stop the Rams in the top of the sixth, scoring five more runs to lead ,18-7. Claudia Law led off with a double to left and scored on an RBI-single by LaBovick. After walks to Fortier and Luety, Lombardo drilled her first career grand slam home run, the second by the Rams in the game.
Michele Daubman earned the win in relief, allowing three runs in 3.2 innings of work with three strikeouts.
At the plate, Luety was 2-for-3 with a double, a home run, three runs scored, and a career-high six RBI, while Fortier was 1-for-1 with four walks, a home run, and tied a school record with five runs scored. Lombardo drove in a career-high five RBI with LaBovick going 2-for-4 with four runs scored, a home run and two RBI. Ortiz was also 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBI.
Game two was just as wild as the first, as Fordham posted a come-from-behind win, as Fortier hit a walk-off three-run home run, the school record sixth of the game for the Rams, in a 13-10 win.
Binghamton led 6-2 entering the bottom of the fifth inning, with the two Fordham runs coming on a solo home run by Daubman and an RBI-single by Lombardo.
The Rams then exploded for seven runs in the fifth to take a 9-6 lead. The rally began with a bunt single by Sammi Smith and a walk to Fortier. Luety followed with a three-run home run, her second of the day and eighth of the season. After a walk to Lombardo, Palumbo joined in on the act, as she clubbed out a two-run home run, her fourth of the year. The home run party continued later in the frame, when Law hit a two-run home run, the first of her career, after a walk to Daubman.
Binghamton got a pair of runs back in the top of the sixth to pull within, 9-8, but Fortier responded with a solo home run to left to put the score at 10-8.
Binghamton tied the game in the top of the seventh inning at 10 on a two-run home run by Taylor Chaffee, leading to a dramatic finish in the bottom of the frame. Law drew a leadoff walk and moved to second on a LaBovick single. One out later, Fortier crushed her second round-tripper of the game, a three-run walk-off home run, giving Fordham the win.
Daubman (7-3) earned another win in relief, pitching the final 1.1 innings.
At the plate, Fortier was 2-for-4 with two home runs, four RBI, and three runs scored with Luety going 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBI. Law finished 2-for-2 with a home run and two RBI with Daubman and Palumbo rounding out the school record six home run game.
Due to weather and field conditions the final two games on Saturday have been moved to Sunday, which means Fordham will not play on the final day of the JMU Invitational. The Fordham softball team will next be in action on Friday, March 22nd, when the Rams open Atlantic 10 play at Charlotte, beginning at 4:00 PM.
