Bronx, N.Y. – The Fordham softball team knew by the fourth inning that they were crowned Atlantic 10 regular season champions, thanks to Massachusetts' sweep of Dayton, but the Rams continued to fight for the win, eventually grinding out a 5-4 season-capping victory over George Mason at Bahoshy Field Sunday, sweeping the Patriots in three games. With the victory, the Rams finish the regular season at 35-18 and 18-4 in A-10 play, while George Mason falls to 22-25 overall and 8-13 in league play.
"I am very proud of this team for battling adversity, never giving up, and working together to win one game at a time," Head Coach
Bridget Orchard remarked after the game, "We still have our ultimate goal of winning the A-10 tournament in front of us. The regular season gives us momentum and confidence to play this week. We want to get back to the NCAA tournament."
Fordham faced a three-run deficit after just half an inning, a rare occurrence for this team lately, but battled back with four-run fourth to win its seventh Atlantic 10 series in eight tries. Of the seven series wins, five have been sweeps.
Lauren Quense started in the circle for the Rams but struggled out of the gate, allowing three straight hits and two runs before recording an out. George Mason plated its final run of the day on a Samantha Zaccari single but Quense struck out opposing starter Marina Vitalich and induced a popout to end the frame. The Rams threatened in the second by loading the bases with two outs on two walks and a
Lindsay Mayer single but Vitalich was able to strike out
Ally Vergona to escape the jam.
Casey Price reached on a fielder's choice, stole second, and advanced to third on an errant throw in the second before Liz Seymour was intentionally walked, the first such instance of Fordham's season, but Quense induced a flyout to end the inning. The junior hurler stepped to the plate for just the sixth time in the past month and ripped a double to right center field to lead off the bottom half of the second. Quense's hit was her third of the series, eventually settling at .429 (3-for-7) on the weekend. Senior
Cailin Winokur, starting in her final home game, dropped a ball right on the right field line for her first career double but was unable to get the RBI when Quense stopped at third, unsure if the ball was going to be caught or not.
Jessica Hughes drove in the host's first run of the day with a sacrifice fly to left but that was all the offense they could muster.
Fordham again loaded the bases in the third with nobody out but new pitcher, Kleinfelter, was able to escape her jam with a strikeout. The Rams had stranded seven runners through the first three innings.
Rachel Gillen returned to the circle in relief of Quense in the fourth and struck out two in a clean inning before Fordham rallied in the home half with the tying and go-ahead runs.
Morgan Figueroa was hit with the first pitch of the frame and Hughes walked on four pitches.
Amy Van Hoven grounded to Kleinfelter but the Patriot opted to go for the lead runner but her throw was a second too late. With the bases loaded and nobody out,
Sydney Canessa, the team's RBI leader, took a 3-1 offering and drove it up the middle to score Hughes and Figueroa and knot the game up at three. Marina Vitalich returned to the circle but allowed both inherited runners to come around on sacrifice flies, both in foul territory.
Madison Shaw's sacrifice to deep left, scoring Canessa, proved to be the eventual winner.
Gillen allowed just three singles and double over her final three frames, with one run scoring in the seventh, to go along with four strikeouts, to pick up her 14
th win of the campaign.
Fordham's home record improves to 15-2 on the year with the sweep and the Rams have earned a first-round bye in this week's Atlantic 10 Tournament, beginning on Wednesday. The Rams will face either #4 Saint Louis or #5 Saint Joseph's on Thursday at noon at George Washington's softball field in our nation's capital. All tournament games will be streamed live on the American Sports Network.
