Softball Travels to George Mason this Weekend

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Bronx, N.Y. – The Fordham softball team (27-8, 5-1 A-10), after seeing a five-game shutout streak snapped by being shut out itself in the first game of last weekend's series against Saint Joseph's, rebounded to take the three-game set with the Hawks with two very different victories on Sunday in the Bronx. The Rams cruised to a 7-0 win in game one but needed a two-run walk-off home run from reigning Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year Jessica Hughes in the 10^th inning to take the series. Fordham had the week off and will begin a lengthy road swing this weekend with three games at George Mason, site of this year's A-10 Championship.
 
Only Sunday's series finale will be streamed live via the link above. However fans can, as always, follow along with live stats and twitter updates from the @FordhamSoftball account.
 
Last Time Out
The Rams had tossed up five straight shutouts the week prior to last weekend's series against Saint Joseph's, all five coming at Bahoshy Field, for the second-longest stretch in program history, behind 2010's run of six straight towards the end of that regular season. However, Fordham ran into Hawks pitcher Ashley Ventura, who tossed eight clean frames on Saturday afternoon. Ventura and Lauren Quense were locked in a pitcher's duel, allowing a combined five hits through seven full innings, before the latter ran into some trouble in the eighth, allowed a one-out double and then a two-run home run to the bottom two hitters in the Saint Joseph's order. Quense allowed two further singles in the frame but would get out of the jam, while Ventura set down the middle of the Rams lineup in order for the win. You can read about that game, here.
 
Freshman Madison Aughinbaugh earned A-10 Pitcher of the Week honors and a big reason why was her performance on Sunday, picking up wins in both games. The rookie first tossed six two-hit innings with one walk allowed and six strikeouts, as her offense cruised to an easy 7-0 victory. In game two, Aughinbaugh relieved Quense after six innings and added three more scoreless frames, including working out of a one-out bases loaded situation in the ninth against the Hawks' second and third hitters, before giving up a solo home run in the 10^th. Her teammates turned her potential fourth loss into her ninth win when Morgan Figueroa punched a single to left field with one out and the next batter, Hughes, smacked her eighth home run of the year to deep right for the win. Read about the doubleheader, here.
 
Aughinbaugh Named Atlantic 10 Player, Pitcher of the Week
Fordham has now garnered at least one A-10 weekly award in all eight weeks to begin the campaign and the latest is another first, Madie Aughinbaugh's first Pitcher of the Week honor after making four appearances, including the two starts, and picking up three wins to improve to 9-3 on the year. Read more about her week, here.
 
Series History vs. George Mason
As one of the newer additions to the Atlantic 10, the series history with the Patriots is limited. Before they entered the league, the two schools had only faced off four times, all on neutral fields, with the quartet of contests split evenly, 2-2, dating back to two games in 1995. Interestingly, those two games came within a week of each other but occurred in two separate tournaments, first a Fordham win, 4-2, at the Southeastern Tournament held in Richmond, Va., and a 8-0 Mason shutout in the opening game of the Manhattanville Tournament, held in Purchase, N.Y. After a decade of nothing, George Mason kicked off its conference series with Fordham with a win in the Bronx, 3-2, in 2014. However, it would be their only win over the Rams since, with Fordham winning, 7-3, in game two of that year's doubleheader, and taking the last seven contests over the last two seasons, including a 4-2 win in the 2015 conference championship.
 
NCAA Rankings
The Fordham softball team is enjoying one of its best statistical seasons through seven weeks of play and it is reflected in the Division I rankings. The Rams offense has been on a tear recently and has brought its team average up to .306, ranked 48^th nationally and third in the program's history. Fordham ranks 11^th in the country with an average of 6.54 runs scored per game, due to its high average, on-base percentage (.409 – 19^th), slugging percentage (.488 – 26^th) , home run rate (0.97 – 29^th), and stolen base rate (1.86 – 26^th). Fordham has also been terrific in the circle, with the 29^th-best ERA nationwide (2.02) and a very steady defense behind them (.971 – 40^th). The Rams rank first in the A-10 in all of the above except batting average, bested only by George Washington (.308).
 
Individually, Jessica Hughes and Madison Shaw tremendous seasons have placed them among Division I's elite. Hughes' .576 on-base percentage ranks sixth, while her .440 batting average ranks 35^th. The duo are also 18^th and 43^rd, respectively, with slugging percentages of .857 and .758. Shaw's nine home runs are 32^nd-most in the country and her 43 RBIs rank sixth. Hughes walks nearly once per game, currently at 0.91, which has her at 12^th in DI. Lauren Quense' 0.76 mark is just behind at 31^st. Quense's four shutouts already have her tied with several others just outside the top-50.  
 
Fordham at 47th in latest NCAA RPI
The Rams opened with an initial RPI ranking of 35^th two weeks ago but have since dropped 12 spots, despite only losing two contests between then and now. The losses have come against Hofstra (then 55^th) and Saint Joseph's (189). The Rams remain the top team in the northeast according to the rankings, however, four ahead of Saint Francis (Pa.).
 
Baylor, who the Rams defeated in the season opener, 1-0, is ranked ninth overall. The Rams have also defeated top-50 teams in Tulsa (32), Florida Atlantic (41), Northwestern (44), and split two games with Saint Francis (Pa.), who have recently received votes in the latest USA Today/NFCA national poll. You can check out the rankings here.
 
Leading Off
The Rams offense has been especially potent this season and a big part of that is leadoff hitters consistently reaching base. Jessica Hughes is one of the country's top leadoff hitters, with an absurd .632 batting average whenever she leads off an inning (24-for-38). She's not the only one, as Sydney Canessa (.591), Madison Shaw (.440), and Lindsay Mayer (.375) all reach at an above average clip or better, as well as Van Hoven before her injury (.375). As a team, Fordham leadoff hitters have a .393 batting average (86-for-219) after going 8-for-24 over the weekend.

Situational Stats
Other reasons for the Rams offense being so successful this year is driving in runners in scoring position. As a team, Fordham is batting .336 (122-for-363) with a runner on second, third, or both, and .312 (20-for-64) with the bases loaded. Also, with a runner on third and less than two outs, the Rams bat a blistering .561 (64-for-114).
 
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
Sydney Canessa tallied three hits last week to move into the top-five all-time for hits, now with 218 and tied with Krystle Henry '07, just 15 behind Amy Van Hoven. The senior is now up into the top-five in total bases, as well, passing assistant coach and former teammate Gabby Luety by one, with 338. 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 also vaulted to the top or near the top of the all-time batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage lists, while Hughes and Van Hoven continue to climb the stolen base ranks, currently fourth and sixth, respectively, with 55 and 49, the latter mark moving Van Hoven into fifth all-time.
 
The 2017 Softball team currently has the third-highest batting average (.306) and second-best slugging percentage (.488) among the program's history, plus its .971 fielding percentage ranks third.
 
You can check out the record book, here.
 
Fordham Softball Archived Stories
It's been a very active first two months for the Fordham softball team, including 15 weekly A-10 awards, a no-hitter, and a 27-8 record through eight weeks. 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
The Rams' previously postponed game against Iona has been tentatively scheduled for Tuesday afternoon at 3 p.m. at Bahoshy Field. Fordham will then head out to Lehigh for a doubleheader the following day.