Big Late Innings Lead Softball to Sweep Over La Salle

Photo Gallery (Game One) | Photo Gallery (Game Two)

BRONX, N.Y. -- Two big scoring innings in both ends of Sunday's doubleheader propelled the Fordham softball team to a Atlantic 10 sweep over La Salle at Bahoshy Field. The Rams broke a scoreless tie in the opener with seven runs in the bottom of the fifth and shut out the Explorers, 8-0, in six innings, before scoring eight times in the bottom of the sixth in game two to win, 8-1. With the sweep, Fordham improves to 15-13 (3-2 A10) on the season, while La Salle falls to 4-8 (2-2 A10) overall.

Game One
A pitchers' duel broke out in the opener between redshirt junior Rachel Gillen and the Explorers' Alicia Aughton. The Rams had only two hits through four innings and constructed their only scoring chance in the bottom of the first whey the put runners on first and second with two outs, while La Salle had the same situation in the top of the second but with one out.

It was Gillen, though, who started the seven-run rally for Fordham in the bottom of the fifth with her first-pitch single up the middle. Two batters later, senior Brianna Turgeon singled through the right side, and sophomore Sydney Canessa followed with a gift single to right field after the right fielder lost the ball in the sun.

With the bases loaded, sophomore Amy Van Hoven broke the scoreless tie with a two-run single down the left field line that plated junior Cailin Winokur and Turgeon. After sophomore Lindsay Mayer was intentionally walked to reload the bases, senior Kayla Lombardo delivered the big blow with a towering grand slam over the left field fence, as her third home run of the season stretched the advantage to 6-0.

Gillen capped the scoring with her second single of the inning. Her RBI base knock to right center field plated senior Michele Daubman, who walked after the Lombardo grand slam.

The Rams clinched the mercy-rule victory in the bottom of the sixth when Canessa doubled home Turgeon, who also doubled to start the inning.

Fordham finished with 10 hits, with Gillen going 3-for-3 with a RBI. Canessa and Turgeon each added two hits, with Turgeon collecting two runs. Lombardo recorded four RBI on her grand slam, while Van Hoven added two RBI.

Gillen (9-6) was fantastic in the circle in her third complete-game shutout of the season, scattering four hits, walking three and striking out 11. Aughton (1-3) also went the distance, as the Rams tagged her for eight earned runs on 10 hits over 5.0 innings while walking three and fanning two.

Game Two
Fordham quickly trailed 1-0 in the nightcap. Daubman issued a lead-off double to Michelle Hagarty, who later scored on a wild pitch in the top of the first.

Daubman ran into some more trouble in the top of the second when she allowed another lead-off double, this time to Valerie Pineiro, who then advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt. Erica Reis then came to the plate and worked a 3-1 count before deciding to attempt a safety squeeze. Her bunt traveled to Daubman, who threw home to Lombardo to gun down Pineiro for the second out. A groundout to second base then ended the inning.

Like the opener, a pitchers' duel occurred for most of the contest. The Rams finally recorded their first hit of the game off Explorer starter McKenzie Peace in the bottom of the fourth when Van Hoven led off the inning with a single to right field. She eventually reached third base with two outs but was left stranded.

La Salle attempted to break the tie in the top of the sixth when Angelina Refine singled and reached second base with one out after a sacrifice bunt. But Daubman was able to induce a pair of groundouts to end the threat.

However, in the bottom of the sixth, Fordham sent 12 batters to the plate and scored eight times to take a commanding 8-1 lead. Canessa and Van Hoven both singled to start the frame, and Mayer crushed a three-run homer over the left center field fence, as her third home run of the season produced a 3-1 lead for the Rams.

Lombardo and Daubman followed with a walk and a single, before advancing to second and third on senior Cora Ianiro's sacrifice bunt. Gillen, senior Paige Ortiz and Turgeon then delivered back-to-back-to-back RBI singles to increase the lead to 6-1. Canessa delivered a RBI sacrifice fly, before Turgeon scored on an error to cap the scoring at 8-1.

Daubman (4-5) went the distance for only the second time this season, as she allowed just one earned run on four hits and one walk while striking out five. Peace (1-3) was the tough-luck loser in the circle after allowing two earned runs on four hits in 5+ innings of work, where she walked one and whiffed four.

Van Hoven had two of the Rams' nine hits and stole her eighth base of the season, while Mayer had three RBI on her big fly. Eight of the nine starters in the lineup scored one run.

Up Next
Fordham returns to action this Wednesday, April 1 when it welcomes Syracuse to Bahoshy Field for a 3 p.m. contest.