Shaw Powers Softball to Weekend Sweep at N.C. State Invitational

Box Score (pdf)

Raleigh, N.C. – The Fordham softball team made it a clean sweep of the five-game Homewood Suites by Hilton RDU/RTP Invitational by defeating the hosting Wolfpack, 16-2, in five innings on Sunday afternoon, the third game in which the team won via run rule this weekend. The Rams won all five games by a combined score of 53-19, improving their season record to 15-4.

"I was really impressed with the confidence, fight, and the 'never give up' attitude from the team this past weekend," said head coach Bridget Orchard, "I thought we were able to rise to the challenge and played well under pressure. We had several key performances and everyone contributed throughout the lineup. When the order hits 1-9 like we did today against N.C. State, we can be dangerous."
 
The Rams batted .346 as a team over three days, led by Jessica Hughes' .583 average and team-high 10 runs, plus junior Madison Shaw's offensive explosion, with a slash line of .538/.588/1.538, including four home runs, two grand slams, 17 runs driven in and three walks in 16 plate appearances. Shaw is one week removed from being named Atlantic 10 Player of the Week.
 
 Shaw put Fordham on the board with her second grand slam in as many days with one out in the first inning. Hughes led off with a single to center and Van Hoven walked and then both stole the next base. Lindsay Mayer walked to load the bases and Shaw promptly took a 1-2 offering to dead centerfield. The Wolfpack cut the deficit in half with a two-out two-run double in the top of the second but it was the only damage allowed by Lauren Quense and, in relief, Madison Aughinbaugh.
 
Fordham added six in the next frame on a Hughes RBI double, a two-run single off the bat of Van Hoven, and a Shaw RBI single up the middle, and then seven more in the fourth. Mayer's solo shut led off the inning followed by a Skylar Johnston RBI double three batters later. The Rams loaded the bases once again and walked in two more runs before a bases-clearing Mayer double to left center that preceded a Shawn RBI double up the middle to cap the scoring, 16-2.
 
Aughinbaugh struck out two in a perfect inning of relief. Quense picked up her 11^th win of the season with four innings of two-run ball on three hits, four walks, and two strikeouts. The senior is now 11-1.

"We are learning and getting better every day. We will continue to work hard this week at practice and we're excited to get back down to Florida to finish up our preseason games." added Orchard.

The Rams will play in the Florida Atlantic Tournament next weekend, but will play its first two contests on Friday, March 10, at Florida International in Miami. Over the next four days, Fordham will take on Ball State, Brown, Illinois State, Fairfield, and the hosts down in Boca Raton.