Newport News, Va. - The Fordham softball team earned a 3-1 record over the weekend at home during its tournament and sophomore pitcher
Madie Aughinbaugh was instrumental in each victory, tallying the win in all three of her starts. As a result, Aughinbaugh earned her first piece of hardware on the season, and the team's second, by being named the Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Week, the league office announced on Tuesday morning.
"I'm very proud of Madie and her performance last week," Head coach
Bridget Orchard said, "She is a competitor and willing to do whatever it takes to help us win. She threw in all four games, hit well, and played great defense."
Aughinbaugh appeared in all four contests, including three starts, and walked away with a pristine 1.07 ERA across 19.2 innings, plus her first three wins of the campaign. The Port Tobacco, Md. native went the distance in all three of her starts, as well, first against UMass-Lowell on Friday afternoon, firing seven innings and allowing just two runs, one earned, on seven hits and no walks, while striking out five of an eventual 5-2 win. The following day, Aughinbaugh came on in relief in the eighth inning against Holy Cross after the Crusaders had plated the go-ahead run and had runners in scoring position. The sophomore worked out of the jam by striking out both batters that she faced.
Right after, Aughinbaugh started against Seton Hall and picked up win number two in as many days by limiting the Pirates to two runs on eight hits and a walk over seven frames, while punching out six more hitters. As the offense erupted for 21 runs against Detroit Mercy to round out the weekend on Sunday, the sophomore needed just that first run to get the win as she twirled a two-hitter and struck out a season-high seven batters.
Aughinbaugh also performed well at the plate, slashing .333/.429/.500 with four runs batted in, three runs, two doubles, two walks, and a stolen base.
The Rams are back in action this week with a pair of nonconference road contests, weather permitting, at Iona and at Stony Brook on Wednesday and Thursday afternoon, respectively, before heading to Dayton this weekend for a three-game series to start the conference season.
