Softball Heads to Atlantic 10 Tournament as #1 Seed

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Washington, D.C. – The Fordham softball team is the 2016 Atlantic 10 regular season champions and will serve as the conference tournament's #1 overall seed this week. The Rams have earned a first round bye by compiling a 18-4 league record, 35-18 overall, and will face the winner of #4 Saint Louis and #5 Saint Joseph's on Friday at noon. Originally scheduled to play on Thursday, inclement weather on Wednesday has pushed back the entire tournament one day.
 
All contests can be streamed online, for free, via the link above. Saturday and Sunday's contests will also be available on American Sports Network. Additionally, an audio-only stream will be available through WFUV Sports and the link above.
 
Last Time Out
Fordham earned its fourth-ever regular season title with a sweep of George Mason at home in the regular season finale. Graduate student Rachel Gillen made her return from a five-week layoff with an appearance in all three contests, notching her first career save with a scoreless seventh in game one, and two victories in the final two games, with her lone start in game two turning into Gillen's 12^th career complete game shutout. Sydney Canessa enjoyed a very productive weekend at the plate, smashing her second career grand slam in game one to knot the game up at four-all in the fifth inning, and providing a two-run single in game three to again tie things up in a four-run fifth that would prove to be the difference.
 
On Tuesday afternoon, the Atlantic 10 announced its postseason awards list and eight Rams totaled 13 honors, including three of four major awards: Bridget Orchard's sixth Coach of the Year award, Lindsay Mayer being named Player of the Year, and Jessica Hughes earning Rookie of the Year honors. To read further, click here.
 
Scouting the Opposition
Fordham will face the winner of Thursday afternoon's 4/5 match-up featuring Saint Louis and Saint Joseph's on Friday at noon. The Rams swept the Hawks in Philadelphia and took two out of three from Saint Louis. Both schools placed one player each on the All-Conference First Team, Saint Joseph's catcher Kaylyn Zierke and Saint Louis' Brianna Lore at designated player. Lore shutout the Rams, 6-0, in the final game of their series.
 
In addition, Saint Louis placed three on the Second Team (2B Allie Macfarlane, 3B Elizabeth Everingham, and OF Mackenzie Peter), while Saint Joseph's Amanda Kulp, an outfielder, earned the same distinction, as well as designated player Brandi Harnkess, as well as All-Rookie alongside teammate Ashley Ventura.
 
Up Next
With a win, the Rams will face the winner of #2 Dayton and either Massachusetts or George Washington. A victory in that contest and Fordham is into the finals. You can check out the bracket above.