Softball Opens Home Slate with Hofstra, Iona

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Bronx, N.Y. – The Fordham softball team (20-6) is done with the preseason tournament portion of its schedule and, after six days off, will now host Hofstra (8-10) on Tuesday and Iona (8-11) on Wednesday to open up the 2017 home slate at Bahoshy Field. The two contests will begin at 2 p.m. and 3 p.m., respectively, and will both be broadcast online via the links above.
 
Last Time Out
The Rams finished 5-2 over four days of the Florida Atlantic Tournament with wins over Rutgers, Ball State, Brown, Fairfield, and Florida Atlantic, and losses to Florida International and Illinois State. The latter loss is unique because the tournament utilized international rules in which a runner is placed on second base to start any additional innings. Fordham couldn't score Madison Shaw from second in the top half of the eighth but the Redbirds walked off by doing so. The final two contests, wins over Fairfield and Florida Atlantic, occurred on Tuesday, so last Monday, three Rams were honored with Atlantic 10 awards, Jessica Hughes (Player), Lauren Quense (Pitcher), and Taylor Stocks (Rookie). Then, due to the two Tuesday contests, Quense was named Co-Pitcher of the Week today for her complete game shutout of the hosts in the final contest.
 
Over the tournament, Hughes led the way with a .474/.630/.895 slash line, a home run, double, two triples, and team-high eight runs driven in, plus five runs, seven walks, and four stolen bases. Shaw continued her mashing ways with three more home runs and seven RBI. Amy Van Hoven also turned it up over the weekend, hitting .348. Quense made four starts and went the distance in all four, including the aforementioned shutout, with a 2-2 record and 1.01 ERA across 27.2 innings. Stocks earned her first weekly accolade with a 2-0 record and 1.56 ERA in two appearances, including her first career complete game in her second-ever start. Two-time Rookie of the Week Madison Aughinbaugh made two starts and picked up a win.
 
Rams Sweep Weekly A-10 Awards, Quense Earns Two Straight
For their efforts, Jessica Hughes took home her second Player of the Week award in the last two weeks, Quense earned her fourth and fifth Pitcher of the Week honors, and Stocks garnered her first Rookie recognition. You can read more about the sweep here, and Quense's lone award here.
 
Series History vs. Opponents
Hofstra – The Pride hold a 12-4 all-time advantage since 1986, including winning the first seven contests in the series. Fordham first won in 2009, 2-1, and have since had a 3-5 record against the Pride. Last year, the two schools played out to a dramatic 12-11 walk-off Rams win. Sydney Canessa provided the early fireworks with a RBI double and three-run home run then Van Hoven and Hughes joined in with RBI singles after an earlier Lindsay Mayer solo home run, but Fordham trailed, 11-9, heading into the bottom of the seventh. However, the Rams rallied for three runs via a walk by Hughes, double by Van Hoven, Mayer RBI single, a Rachel Gillen RBI single, and Shaw's walk-off double.
 
Iona – Fordham holds a 31-16-1 all-time record in their long-standing local rivalry with the Gaels. The two schools used to duke it out in the MAAC in the second-half of the 1980s and early 90s before the Rams left for the Patriot League. The Rams have dominated the series in recent years, winning 17 of the last 19 contests dating back to the 2003 season, including last year's 1-0 marathon nine-inning victory on the road in New Rochelle. Stephanie Ferri provided the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth with a ground-rule double to score Shaw. Gillen and Quense combined for a three-hitter, the former allowing one run and one walk over four innings with six strikeouts, and the latter picking up the win with five innings of two-hit ball.
 
Fordham Debuts at #35 in NCAA RPI
The Rams have received votes in the national USA Today/NFCA Coaches poll on two occasions this season and peaked at #30 in the poll after defeating #21 Baylor on opening weekend. They did not receive votes in the latest edition but the NCAA has them just outside the Top 25 in regards to RPI. You can check out the rankings here.

Quense Tosses 14^th No-Hitter in Program History
The senior hurler was lights out against Bryant on Sunday, February 19, tossing six innings of no-hit ball, allowing just a fourth-inning walk, plus a batter that reached on an error later in the contest, with three strikeouts. Quense became the fifth Ram to ever throw a no-hitter in program history. 
 
Keeping up with the Record Book
Amy Van Hoven and Sydney Canessa recently became the seventh and eighth Rams to reach the 200-hit club, the former now up to fourth with 223, the latter in sixth with 208. The duo are making steady progress up several other lists, as well. Quense's excellent start to her senior campaign has seen her jump up several spots in the all-time pitching ranks. Jessica Hughes and Madison Shaw have vaulted to the top or near the top of the all-time batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage lists, while Hughes continues to climb the stolen base ranks, currently fourth now with 51 after recently passing Ivy Pollock '05.
 
You can check out the record book, here.
 
Fordham Softball Archived Stories
It's been a very active first month for the Fordham softball team, including 12 weekly A-10 awards, a no-hitter, and a 20-6 record through five weekends. You can read all of the team's archived stories from this season and beyond, 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.
 
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. Head coach Bridget Orchard has also announced five recruits for the class of 2021 that have recently signed their NLIs.
 
Up Next
Atlantic 10 play begins this weekend with Rhode Island visiting the Bronx for a three-game set. Saturday's doubleheader will begin at noon and Sunday's one-off will start at 1 p.m.