Box Score April 19, 2013
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Bronx, N.Y. -
Over the first 41 games of the year, Fordham's Cora Ianiro had four official at bats. So when head coach Bridget Orchard called on her to pinch hit with two on and the score tied at two in the sixth, it may have seemed a bit odd. But Ianiro proved Orchard's instincts right, delivering a two-run triple to plate the eventual game-winning runs and lead the Rams to a 5-2 Atlantic 10 win over Dayton on Bahoshy Field.
With the game knotted at two heading into the bottom of the sixth, Michele Daubman led off the frame for the Rams with a walk and moved to second on a Chelsea Palumbo single. Taylor Pirone advanced the runners a base with a ground out before Ianiro was called upon by Orchard to pinch hit for Sammi Smith. Ianiro, who is now 3-for-5 on the year, stepped in and hit a ball just over the first base bag and down the right field line to plate Daubman and Palumbo and give the Rams a 4-2 lead. Smith reentered the game for Ianiro to run at third and she came in to score on an Elise Fortier base hit up the middle.
The Flyers threatened in the top of the seventh, loading the bases with one out before Daubman got Jordan Jennings to foul out to third and Dana Trotta to sky out to right to end the game.
The Rams had a chance to get an early lead, loading the bases with one out in the second but Smith lined a ball right at Trotta at third base who was able to double up Pirone at first.
Dayton scored the game's first runs in the top of the third as Kennedy Haynes walked to open the inning and was sacrificed to second by Leah Sitter. Natalie Mariano followed with a single to score Haynes with the first run and Mariano came around to score later in the inning on a Kasi Vazquez base hit.
The Rams got one back in the bottom of the frame when Elise Fortier singled, and one out later, took second on a Gabby Luety single. Brianna Turgeon then delivered Fortier with a double off the center field fence to cut the Fordham deficit to one, 2-1.
Fordham tied the game at two in the bottom of the fifth as Kayla Lombardo led off the inning with a home run, her sixth of the year.
Daubman went the distance in the circle for the Rams, allowing nine hits and the two runs while striking out six to go to 15-6 on the year.
With the win, Fordham improves to 26-16 overall, 10-5 in the Atlantic 10, while Dayton falls to 17-19 overall, 8-6 in the conference.
The two teams close out the two-game series with a game tomorrow on Bahoshy Field at noon.
