Softball Travels to Furman for Three Games Starting Friday

Live Stats vs. Furman (Game One) | Live Stats vs. Furman (Game Two) | Live Stats vs. Gardner-Webb

BRONX, N.Y. -- The Fordham softball team (6-4) looks to build upon its three-game win streak when the Rams travel south to the Palmetto State to play a Friday doubleheader at Furman beginning at 2 p.m., before taking on Gardner-Webb for a single contest Saturday at 12 p.m. All three games will take place at Pepsi Stadium on Furman's campus in Greenville, S.C.

Fordham was originally scheduled to play games with Toledo and Hampton as part of Furman's Paladin Classic, but unseasonably winter weather this week changed the original schedule. The Rams were also scheduled to play a game against Bryant on the campus of USC Upstate in Spartanburg, S.C., but the Saturday morning contest was canceled as well.

Last Time Out
Fordham finished 4-1 last weekend at the USF Presidents' Day Weekend Tournament in Tampa, Fla., with victories over St. John's (3-0), Florida Gulf Coast (11-1 in five innings), South Florida (14-6) and Detroit (6-5); the lone loss came to #11/#14 Tennessee (5-0).

Redshirt junior Rachel Gillen set the tone for the weekend against St. John's when she tossed her second consecutive complete-game shutout, as she allowed just three hits and one walk while fanning a career-high 11. Her effort coupled with a five-strikeout performance versus USF earned herself a second straight Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Week accolade. In five appearances (four starts) this season, Gillen is 3-1 with a 1.87 ERA and 36 strikeouts in 30.0 innings of work.

Sophomore Sydney Canessa hit .444 (8-for-18) with five runs and five RBI while reaching base at a .500 clip. She recorded three safeties against the Lady Vols and followed that performance by collecting a career-high four hits to go along with three RBI and two runs in the victory over the hosts. Gillen (.400), sophomore Amy Van Hoven (.389, 5 R, 2 SB), senior Brianna Turgeon (.364/.611/1.182) and sophomore Lindsay Mayer (.353, 4 R, 6 RBI) all produced solid weekends, with Turgeon hitting three home runs and driving in seven.

Senior Michele Daubman finished 1-1 in the circle and earned a complete-game victory against Florida Gulf Coast while collecting a save against Detroit. Sophomore Lauren Quense and junior Patti Maloney also posted victories in the circle for the Rams.

Furman
2015 Season: 3-0
When: Saturday, Feb. 21 - 2 & 4 p.m.
Where: Greenville, S.C. (Pepsi Stadium)
Series History: First Meeting
What You Need To Know: The Paladins are off to a 3-0 start after sweeping Radford (7-2, 8-6) at home, before needing only five innings to crush Atlantic 10 foe George Mason, 13-2, in Spartanburg, S.C. to conclude last weekend's Upstate Classic. Furman hit .321, scored 28 runs and pounded out 27 hits, including 13 of the extra-base variety, while going a perfect 3-for-3 on stolen base attempts. Natalie Clemmons paced the offense by slashing .545/.545/1.545 (6-for-11) with two triples, two home runs, eight RBI and five runs, while Elise Smith (.444) and Lindsey Bert (.429) each batted over .400. Bert also made two starts in the circle and went 1-0 with a 5.60 ERA and one complete game. She scattered 11 hits in 10.0 innings of work, walked five and struck out four. Alex Sappington tossed a complete game in her only start, as she allowed two earned runs on seven hits while walking one and fanning six. Overall, the staff has pitched to a 3.68 ERA, walked six, struck out 10, and is yielding a .273 batting average.

Gardner-Webb
2015 Season: 1-7
When: Saturday, Feb. 21 - 12 p.m.
Where: Greenville, S.C. (Pepsi Stadium)
Series History: First Meeting
What You Need To Know: The Runnin' Bulldogs have lost seven in a row after defeating Charlotte, 4-3, to start the season nearly two weeks ago. Gardner-Webb then lost to the 49ers, 10-2 (in six innings) in game two; were swept at East Tennessee State (9-8, 8-5); and lost four games at the Samford University Tournament in Alabama last weekend (12-6 at Stamford, 16-0 vs. Murray State, 10-6 vs. Nicholls State, 9-0 at Samford). Scarlett Harris is slashing .417/.481/.917 with three doubles, three home runs, 11 RBI and five runs to lead an offense that is hitting. 271, scored 33 times and has tallied 56 hits. In the circle, the Runnin' Bulldogs are pitching to a 9.04 ERA with 24 walks, 47 strikeouts and 89 hits in 49.0 innings of work while allowing opponents to hit .377.

Up Next
The Rams return to Florida next weekend, Feb. 27-March 1, to participate in the Citrus Classic in Orlando. Fordham is scheduled to play Maryland, Penn State, Georgia, Georgetown and Minnesota.