Softball Splits Doubleheader to Begin Pirate Clash

Box Score vs. Bryant | Box Score vs. Saint Francis

Greenville, N.C. – The Fordham softball team split Friday's weekend-opening doubleheader, defeating Bryant via run-rule but losing to Saint Francis in extra innings, to move to 5-2 on the season. The day began with an 8-0 victory over Bryant in six innings, making it five wins in six and the best start to a season for the program. However, defensive miscues and stranding runners on offense led to a tough 5-3 loss to the Red Flash in nine innings soon after.
 
"We put ourselves in a position to win [against Saint Francis], we had our chances, but we couldn't get the key hit," Head coach Bridget Orchard said, "I was proud of Maddie Aughinbaugh's pitching and Taylor Stocks coming in as well. Credit to Saint Francis; they made big plays to get out of innings and we didn't."
 
Recently named Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Week Lauren Quense started in the circle against Bryant and was close to perfect for four innings of shutout ball, allowing two hits and a walk and striking out four. Stocks replaced the senior for the final two frames and allowed just one walk while striking out three. The win is Quense's fourth in as many tries.
 
Fordham did nearly all of its damage in the first inning, scoring seven earned runs off sophomore Colby Norris. Amy Van Hoven, who had a solid day overall offensively, singled up the middle to get things started and stole second base moments later. Sydney Canessa walked, the first of six in the frame alone, and Lindsay Mayer doubled Van Hoven home to begin the scoring. With Canessa on third and one out, Madison Shaw and Quense each walked to load the bases. Jordana Storm, making her first start of the season, at second base, popped out to third, but two straight walks by Morgan Figueroa and Chelsea Skrepenak brought two more runs in before Van Hoven's bases-clearing double to left capped the scoring at seven. Logan Paul replaced Norris and, after walking Canessa on four straight pitches, got out of the jam with a groundout.
 
Paul walked seven over the next five frames but limited the damage, allowing just two singles, until the sixth inning. Shaw ripped a double to right to start the frame and came around to score thanks to a throwing error and then a Storm groundout. The Rams had a chance to tack on more runs but Canessa struck out with the bases loaded to end the threat.
 
Van Hoven finished the contest 3-for-4 with two singles, a double, three runs batted in and three stolen bases, plus a walk, while Maria Trivelpiece enjoyed her first multi-hit contest in maroon and white, coming off the bench to play left field mid-game and recording two singles and two stolen bases in two at bats. Both Canessa and Quense each walked three times but scored just once apiece.
 
The Rams got off to a good start against the Red Flash a half hour later, with Shaw singling in Van Hoven with the bases loaded in the first inning. Trivelpiece, getting the start in left, drove in her first career run with a groundout, scoring Mayer. Shaw would later tie the game up with a RBI double to left center in the third, tying the game up at 3-all. That score would remain until the ninth inning.
 
Madison Aughinbaugh, making her third start of the year, was nearly unblemished over the first eight innings aside from a Hayley Norton two-out three-run home run in the third inning. The freshman allowed a two-out double to Norton in the first inning but struck out the side around that hit. Aside from the third and ninth innings, the Port Tobacco, Md. native allowed just one hit and three walks. Overall she struck out 11. With one out in the ninth, a single and hit by pitch was followed by a throwing error by Ally Vergona on an attempted steal for the go-ahead run. The next batter drove in the fifth and final run before Stocks was brought on in relief to get the final two outs.
 
Fordham will seek revenge against Saint Francis tomorrow at 4:15 p.m. and then will play the hosts, East Carolina, at 6:30 p.m. The latter will be broadcast live online.