Box Score The Rams were firing on all cylinders Thursday afternoon, combining an impressive offensive outburst with a shutdown performance in the circle to blank Army 6-0 on Bahoshy Field.
With the win, the Rams won their ninth game in the last ten outings and improved to 21-16 on the year. Army lost for the first time in six tries, falling to 15-18 overall.
At the dish,
Elise Fortier went 3-3, bumping her season average to .343, while
Michele Daubman blasted a three-run homer to help seal the game in the bottom of the fifth.
Daubman also exceled on the bump, allowing just three hits and shutting out the Black Knights over five innings of work to pick up her team-leading 11
th win of the season.
Rachel Gillen tallied a multi-hit day for the Rams as well, going 2-2 with a pair of double and a walk. The Wilmington, Del., native also picked up an RBI on the day.
The Rams put one runner on in the bottom of the first, as Fortier ripped a two-out single to right center, but Army exited the inning unscathed.
After retiring the Black Knights with ease in the top of the second, the Rams threatened in the bottom half of the frame.
Paige Ortiz reached base on a fielder's choice and Gillen made it two runners in scoring position with a hard-hit double down the right field line. The Rams, however, failed to bring either runner home and the teams went into the top of the third scoreless.
In the ensuing frame, the Black Knights threatened with runners on first and second, but Daubman worked her way out of trouble and ensured a blank scoreboard after two and a half.
The Rams finally pushed a run across in the bottom of the third.
Sydney Canessa led off the inning with a walk and advanced to second on an
Amy Van Hoven groundout to third. Canessa then went from first to third on a Fortier single through the left side before scoring on a wild pitch with
Kayla Lombardo at the dish.
In the top of the fourth, Daubman forced three consecutive Army batters to groundout back to her, making quick work of the Black Knights.
Looking for some insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth, the Rams got that and more. Daubman helped out her own cause with a three-run bomb to right center before Gillen brought home another run with an RBI double to left center. By the end of the inning, the Rams had extended their lead to a comfortable five run margin.
Fordham added one more run in the bottom of the sixth when Lombardo brought Van Hoven home from third to make it 6-0. Van Hoven reached third by recording the first triple of her Fordham career.
Patti Maloney, who came into to relieve Daubman after five, retired the Black Knights with no complications in the top of the seventh, securing Fordham's ninth win in their last ten tries. Maloney recorded two strikeouts and surrendered only one hit in two innings of work.
The Rams resume A-10 play this weekend, hitting the road to take on Rhode Island for a Saturday afternoon doubleheader.
