Orlando, Fla. – The Fordham softball split two games on day one of the Diamond 9 Citrus Classic II at ESPN's Wide World of Sports Complex, downing Ball State, 11-3, in six innings, but falling to NR/RV Notre Dame, 8-0, in six frames. With the results, the Rams move to 2-10 on the year.
Fordham got on the board early against the Cardinals,
Skylar Johnston doubling in
Paige Rauch, who was in the circle for the contest, before Rauch blasted a solo shot to right field in the third. Ball State retook the lead with a three spot in the third inning before the Rams busted things open in the fourth and fifth innings.
Chelsea Skrepenak scored on a squeeze play initiated by
Deanna Burbridge and
Madie Aughinbaugh would cross home soon after on a passed ball as the go-ahead run. A RBI single by
Madi Shaw to score Burbridge rounded out the scoring in the inning.
Rauch launched her second solo home run of the day in the fifth and two batters later Johnston smacked a two-run shot, scoring Burbridge in the process. Two more runs would score on bases loaded walks by
Kelly Bright and Skrepenak. The walk-off run rule came when Johnston scored on a wild pitch in the sixth.
Five Rams tallied multi-hit games, with Johnston's three leading the pack. The sophomore drove in a team-high three and scored twice, while Burbridge, Rauch, Skrepenak, and Storm all tallied two hits apiece. Rauch scored thrice, Bubridge and Johnston twice. Shaw finished 1-for-3 but reached two more times via walk. Fordham enjoyed eight free passes in the game.
Rauch went the distance for her second victory, allowing three runs on five hits, three walks, and three hit by pitches, while striking out six over six frames.
Notre Dame's Holloway walked five Rams but allowed just two hits and no runs over her five frames while
Lauren Quense and Aughinbaugh, out of the pen, combined to allow eight runs, six earned, over 4.2 frames.
Racuch doubled and walked, while Skrepenak added another single.
The Rams play Robert Morris and Troy tomorrow back-to-back beginning at 10 a.m. Both games will be shown live on FloSoftball.com.
