Softball Finishes Towson Tiger Classic with Doubleheader Split

Game One Box Score | Game Two Box Score

Towson, Md. – The Fordham softball team saw its eight-game winning streak snapped but still split Saturday's doubleheader against Towson and Mount St. Mary's as part of the Towson Tiger Classic. The Rams played the day's first two games, first a tight walk-off 8-7 loss to the hosts and then an 8-0 six-inning defeat of the Mountaineers. With the results, the Rams are now 15-14 on the season.
 
Game One
The Tigers handed Rachel Gillen her ninth loss of the season with a walk-off home run in the seventh inning after the two teams traded big offensive innings.
 
Lindsay Mayer made her first start of the season but lasted just two innings. The junior struck out a pair in a scoreless first but allowed two home runs in the second to give the hosts an early 3-0 advantage. As was the trend in this game, the Rams answered back with a four-spot in the next half-inning to take a 4-3 lead through a Gillen two-run home run and a two-run single by Jessica Hughes.
 
Gillen replaced Mayer in the circle and navigated two quick scoreless frames in relief. However, the Tigers jumped back in the lead in the fifth with a two-out grand slam by Holiday Cahill. Due to an earlier error on Lauren Quense, all four runs were unearned.
 
Like earlier in the game, the Rams answered in the next half-inning. Morgan Figueroa, Hughes, and Amy Van Hoven all singled to open up the frame before Sydney Canessa drew a RBI walk to cut the deficit to two. Mayer struck out and Gillen reached on a fielder's choice, with Hughes scoring on an error by the second baseman.  Morgan Dejter struck out Shaw but gave up a RBI single to Stephanie Ferri. Unfortunately for the Rams, Canessa was gunned down at third base. The score remained tied, 7-7.
 
Fordham had another chance with a runner in scoring position in the seventh but Canessa flied out to right to end the frame. Kendyl Scott, the nine hitter, rocked the walk-off home run on the first pitch and ended the game, 8-7.
 
Gillen's loss moves the junior to 9-9 on the season. Hughes again enjoyed a tremendous offensive game, going 4-for-5 with a run and two RBIs. The Rams left 11 runners on base in the contest compared to Towson's one.
 
Game Two
Lauren Quense threw one of her best games of the season with six innings of two-hit ball, walking three and striking out four, to move to 6-5 on the season. Canessa gave the Rams all the offense they'd need on the day with a one-out RBI single to score Hughes, who had collected her 14^th steal of the season earlier in the frame, in the first inning. Van Hoven scored the team's second in the third inning on a groundball that led to an error by the Mount's second baseman.
 
In the fifth, Hughes led off with a single, promptly stole her 15^th base of the season, and Van Hoven drove her home with her second triple of the year. Canessa walked, stole second, and moved over to third on a fielder's choice by Gillen that allowed Van Hoven to score. Immediately after, the Rams successfully pulled off a double steal and Canessa stole home to make it 5-0.
 
Fordham ended the game early with a three-spot in the sixth inning. Maria Trivelpiece pinch hit and led off with a single to center, eventually moving to second on a wild pitch. After Hughes walked, Allie Bradian pinch hit for Van Hoven and notched her second hit in four tries this year with a single to center to load the bases with no outs. Canessa drew her second bases loaded walk of the day, Mayer singled to right to score Hughes, and Cailin Winokur, pinch hitting for Gillen, was hit by a pitch to end the contest.
 
The Rams have now won nine of their last 10.
 
Up next for Fordham is a trip to St. John's on Wednesday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.