Softball Flies to Dayton This Weekend

Live Stats | Live Video
Twitter Updates on @FordhamSoftball
 
Bronx, N.Y. – The Fordham softball team (32-16, 15-2) are on the road for arguably its biggest Atlantic 10 series of the season, against second-place Dayton (24-16-1, 12-2-1) this weekend, with a doubleheader on Saturday, April 30, beginning at noon, and a standalone game three on Sunday, also beginning at noon. The two schools last faced off in last year's Atlantic 10 Championship game, won 8-2 by the Rams in Amherst, Mass.
 
Fans can follow along with the action through any of the three links above.
 
Last Time Out
Fordham went up to Kingston, R.I. for a three-game series at the Rhode Island Rams and came away with a three-game sweep, the fourth sweep for Fordham in this year's Atlantic 10 slate. The Rams have won every A-10 series thus far, with only two home losses against Massachusetts and Saint Louis.
 
The Rams offense was in dominant form this past weekend, tallying 37 runs, 33 walks, and 18 walks in 18 innings, failing to score in just two innings over the course of the weekend. Reigning Atlantic 10 Player of the Week Madison Shaw highlighted the offense with four home runs, two of the eventual game-winning variety, and seven RBIs. Lauren Quense started all three games, earned three victories, and allowed just four earned runs on 10 hits with 14 strikeouts and a 2.15 ERA in 13 innings.
 
Also of note was Jessica Hughes becoming the program's all-time leading single season basestealer. Hughes began the weekend two stolen bases away from Lindsey Kay Bright's record of 29, set in 2009, and set the record with her first at bat in game two. The freshman speedster began both games of the doubleheader with walks and stole second a pitch later. With that stolen base in game two, Hughes matched Bright's single season record.
 
To read more about the series against Rhode Island, click here and here
 
Milestone Watch
Rachel Gillen is featured on nearly every career pitching record top-10, which you can view in its entirety here. With one more appearance, she will tie Chelsea Plimpton for sixth-most all-time and with two more she will join Jamie Giguere in fifth. Gillen's next complete game will give her sole possession of fourth place in the all-time ranks.
 
Jessica Hughes notched steals 28, 29, 30, and 31 on the season at Rhode Island, with three coming in game two of Saturday's doubleheader, to become the program's single season all-time leader. Hughes is now tied with Erin Fisher for seventh-most in program history overall and is one away from Jamie Chastain and Allison Twarowski. After that, it'll take 16 thefts to reach fourth on the list and Ivy Pollock. Junior shortstop Amy Van Hoven also tallied a steal over the weekend and has sole possession of ninth on the all-time list, with 29.  
 
You can find two current players on the all-time top-10 for career batting average: Van Hoven and Lindsay Mayer, at second (.359) and fourth (.339), respectively. Junior Sydney Canessa's .326 career average has her just outside the top ten – currently 12^th highest in school history. Mayer's .524 career slugging percentage is also the ninth-highest in school history.
 
Van Hoven also recently entered the all-time hits (188 – T9^th with Pollock) and runs scored (125 – 8^th) lists, as well. Van Hoven will tie Elise Fortier with one more hit. Sydney Canessa ranks sixth in runs scored all-time with 133 and eighth all-time with 68 walks. She'll tie Samantha Pellechio with her next free pass.
 
Get to Know Dayton
Dayton is coming off a three-game sweep at St. Bonaventure, outscoring the Bonnies, 15-4, over the weekend. Before that, the Flyer had also swept La Salle and Saint Louis in the last two series.
 
The Flyers have two players hitting over .300 on the season (Gabrielle Snyder - .364 and Krista Gustafson - .347) and are hitting .235 as a whole. Snyder also leads the team in runs (16), doubles (12) slugging percentage (.571), on-base percentage (.446) and walks (12). The Flyers have two players with a team-high three home runs on the season, Katie Ryan and Kathryn Hess.
 
Snyder is also a force in the circle, with a 1.11 ERA and 8-1 record in 18 appearances (eight starts), but Dayton relies heavily on Manda Cash, a multiple A-10 award winner this year, who is having another great season with a 1.21 ERA in 121 innings. Cash has compiled a 9-7 record over 27 appearances with 11 complete games and four saves, as well. She has struck out 151 on the year.
 
Up Next
The Rams finish out the regular season with a three-game set at home against George Mason next weekend. Saturday, May 7, will feature a doubleheader starting at noon. Senior Day will take place before Sunday's 1 p.m. game three. After that, the Atlantic 10 tournament in Washington, D.C. beckons.