Softball Travels to East Carolina for Pirate Clash

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Bronx, N.Y. – The Fordham softball team (4-1), recently receiving 10 votes in the first edition of the 2017 USA Today/NFCA national poll, is fresh off matching the program's best-ever start to a campaign and now head down to Greenville, N.C. this weekend for East Carolina's (1-4) Pirate Clash Friday to Sunday. The Rams will see the hosts once, on Saturday at 6:30 p.m., which will be Fordham's only televised contest, and will play twice against two Northeast Conference foes – Bryant (0-0) and Saint Francis (4-1), one each on Friday, Saint Francis right before ECU on Saturday, and a one-off against the Bulldogs on Sunday at 9:30 a.m.
 
Again, only the contest against East Carolina will be broadcast live, via the link above. All other games can be followed through the live stats link or the Rams' Twitter account.
 
Last Time Out
Fordham faced a difficult opening weekend last week at Arizona's Hillenbrand Invitational, but walked away with four wins in five tries, losing only to the hosting #10 Wildcats in the second game of last Thursday night's doubleheader. Before that, the Rams, led by Lauren Quense's complete game shutout and Jessica Hughes's go-ahead solo home run, downed #21 Baylor, 1-0. Madison Aughinbaugh's collegiate debut came shortly thereafter against Arizona, an 8-1 loss to the hosts. The next day, Quense and the Rams held on to defeat Tulsa, 7-6, with the senior returning to the circle with two outs in the seventh and the bases loaded, shutting the door to earn her second victory. Hughes started the game off with a two-run home run and freshman Skylar Johnston added a two-run shot of her own, the first of her career. Aughinbaugh got her first collegiate victory, going the distance against CSUN, thanks to teammate Madison Shaw's pinch-hit walk-off home run in the seventh and Sydney Canessa's game-tying two-run blast an inning before. Quense withstood a late Northwestern rally in the fifth inning to nab her third win in as many days, 4-3. Her two-run single in the third proved to be the difference.
 
Quense Named Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Week
The senior hurler was impressive in Tucson, winning all three of her starts, with two complete games and one shutout. Quense's three wins came against a top-25 team and two that had garnered votes in the preseason poll, Tulsa and Northwestern. Read more about her success this past weekend here.
 
Fordham Receiving Votes in NFCA Poll
The Rams' performance in Arizona was noticed by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association and in the first poll of the 2017 campaign; Fordham earned 10 votes, tied with South Carolina for 30^th in the country. Read more about it here.
 
Fordham Quick Facts
You can find this season's full schedule, roster, and quick facts, plus last year's season statistics, all here.
 
Fordham Picked to Successfully Defend A-10 Title
The Rams received nine of 10 first-place votes in the preseason coaches' poll, it was announced last week. Fordham has won four straight conference tournament titles and five of the last six, plus three regular season championships in the past six years, as well.
 
The Rams return all eight position player starters, losing only starting pitcher/DP Rachel Gillen. Second Teamer Lauren Quense returns for her senior campaign to anchor a staff that will include three freshmen. The Rams have six newcomers, five freshmen and one sophomore transfer, and will have one more underclassmen this season than upperclassmen.
 
Series History vs. This Weekend's Opponents
                - East Carolina holds a 9-3 all-time advantage since 1995, winning the first seven games in the series. Fordham has won three of the last five, however, including the most recent – a 5-1 win in Greenville in 2012.
                - Fordham is 5-3 all-time against Saint Francis dating back to 2001. The two schools met all eight times between 2001 and 2004, with the Rams winning the last three meetings.
- Have never played Bryant.
 
Welcoming New Faces
The program welcomed six new players to the Bronx this season: pitchers Madison Aughinbaugh, Taylor Stocks, and Stephanie Rundlett, infielders Skylar Johnston and Brielle Cerchio, and outfielder Deanna Burbridge. You can read about the first four signing their NLIs last winter here. Aughinbaugh and Rundlett were named their respective states' Players of the Year.
 
Up Next
The nonconference tournament schedule continues with next weekend's Diamond 9 Citrus Classic I at Disney's Wide World of Sports. The Rams will play an exhibition contest against a Czech Republic team on Friday, February 24, at 11 a.m. before taking on current number one in the country Florida a few hours later. Fordham will also see Oakland, Elon, and Georgia Southern over the weekend.