Softball Stops Upset-Minded George Mason, 4-2

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AMHERST, Mass. -- Senior Cora Ianiro continued her clutch play Friday for the Fordham softball team at the 2015 Atlantic 10 Championships, as the Rams defeated fourth-seeded George Mason, 4-2, at Sortino Field. With the victory, Fordham increases its win streak to 10 games, advances to its third consecutive Atlantic 10 final, and improves to 35-18 on the season, while Mason falls to 23-28 overall and plays later today at 5 p.m. against the winner of the Dayton/La Salle contest.

Ianiro broke a scoreless tie with one out in the bottom of the fourth when she laced a RBI triple down the right field line to score senior Michele Daubman, who doubled to the left-center field gap one batter before. The three-bagger started a three-run inning for the Rams, as senior Brianna Turgeon followed with a RBI single to score Ianiro.

Sophomore Sydney Canessa made it four straight hits with a single that was almost caught on a diving attempt by the right fielder, which allowed Turgeon to narrowly advance to second base. After sophomore Amy Van Hoven hit into a fielder's choice to the shortstop, who threw out Turgeon at third, sophomore Lindsay Mayer made it 3-0 with a two-out RBI single to right field that scored Canessa from second, which turned out to be the game-winning hit.

Fordham added a big insurance run in the bottom of the fifth to extend its advantage to 4-0. Daubman reached base for the third time when she worked a two-out walk, and Ianiro came up with another clutch extra-base hit, a RBI double to the gap in right-center field that brought home Daubman.

The Patriots did not go quietly, cutting the deficit in half in the top of the sixth inning. Liz Seymour led off and reached on a throwing error by Turgeon at short, and Brooke Blankenship hit a two-run homer to left, which snapped a 28-inning scoreless stretch for Mason against the Rams, dating back to the final series of the regular season last weekend.

After the Rams went down in order in the bottom half of the sixth, Mason made things interesting in the top half of the seventh. Katie Kitts led off with a single off Fordham starter Rachel Gillen, who was able to register the next two outs, before allowing a bunt single to bring the go-ahead run to the plate. Daubman then came in relief and struck out Seymour to end the game and send the Rams to Saturday's championship game at 1 p.m.

Gillen (22-8) scattered seven hits, allowed two runs (one earned), walked one and struck out four over 6.2 innings of work to earn her 22nd victory. Daubman's strikeout produced her second save of the season.

The offense finished with nine hits, with Mayer and Ianiro both collecting two apiece. Daubman reached base three times and scored twice, while Ianiro finished with two RBI.

Casey Herring (9-10) took the loss in the circle after lasting 3.1 innings. She yielded three earned runs on seven hits, walked two and struck out two. Christina Gabriele tossed the final 2.1 innings and allowed one earned run on two hits, walked two and did not record a strikeout.

The Patriots finished with seven hits, as Seymour and Blankenship each had two. Seymour scored on Blankenship's home run.

Fordham will play the winner of the Mason/Dayton-La Salle winner. The winner of the Dayton-La Salle game plays the Patriots at 5 p.m. If the Rams drop Saturday's championship game, they will play another contest immediately after to determine the 2015 Atlantic 10 champion.