Softball Sees Winning Streak Snapped in Doubleheader Sweep to UMass

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Bronx, N.Y. – Things started of well for the Fordham softball team in its critical Saturday doubleheader against visiting Massachusetts, as Skylar Johnston and Madi Shaw went back-to-back with solo home runs in the first inning of game one, but the Minutewomen eventually overcame their deficit and shut down the hosts for much of the remainder of the day's games, taking the opening two games by scores of 9-5 and 6-2. With the losses, snapping a 12-game winning streak, the Rams fall to 27-19 overall and 15-3 in Atlantic 10 action, while UMass improves to 30-12 and 18-0, respectively.
 
Three-time defending Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week Paige Rauch got the start in game one and struggled against the UMass offense, surrendering a season-high seven runs, three earned, over four frames before being replaced by classmate Anne Marie Prentiss, who was charged with two runs over her three innings. Graduate pitcher Lauren Quense made her 100^th career start in maroon and white in game two.
 
The Rams' power bats were on display on the day, with a total of four home runs, two coming off the bat of Shaw. With two outs in the first inning against Meg Colleran, Johnston ripped a line drive solo shot into the left field netting before Shaw pushed one in the same direction. The Minutewomen answered immediately, however, with five runs in the top of the second. Madison Gimpl was hit by a pitch and moved over to second on a sac bunt. Kaitlyn Stavinoha doubled her in and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Hannah Bunker walked and stole second but Kylie Michael's throw sailed high of Jordy Storm, allowing Stavinoha to score to tie the game. After a groundout, Bunker moved to third on a passed ball and Jenna Cozza was intentionally walked. A fielding error led to the third run and Kaycee Karbone came through for the visitors with a single through the right side to plate two more.
 
Fordham got one back in the third on a booming Johnston RBI single over the head of Erin Stacevicz in center, again with two outs, to score Chelsea Skrepenak all the way from first. The visitors responded quickly again on a Cozza two-run home run to left, scoring Riley Gregoire, who had reached on a bunt single to lead off the frame. Carbone later doubled and Melissa Garcia singled to put runners on the corners but Rauch rebounded with swinging strikeouts of Gimpl and Amy Smith to limit the damage. UMass capped its scoring in game one with a two-out two-run single by Carbone with the bases loaded, an unfortunate bounce between the pitching rubber and shortstop causing the ball to roll into an unmanned area as two runners came around to score.
 
Looking for a spark, Skrepenak provided one with a mammoth two-run home run with one out in the fifth inning, forcing Massachusetts head coach Kristi Stefanoni to replace Colleran with Kiara Oliver, who got the final two outs, tossed a 1-2-3 sixth, and worked around a Burbridge walk and Rauch double with two outs in the seventh.
 
Oliver got the start in game two and took a no-hitter into the sixth inning before Shaw's second home run of the day, a long two-run drive to straightaway center, broke it up and provided the lone runs for the hosts in game two. UMass scored three in both the fourth and sixth frames against Quense to secure the victory.
 
Burbridge led the way with three hits on the day in five at bats, walking once, while Shaw and Johnston each notched two hits. Rauch doubled and walked three times, moving her past a trio of Rams and into seventh place with 36 on the year. Shaw's two home runs give the senior slugger 36 for her career, moving her into sole possession of fourth all-time and tying her with Rauch for the team lead this year.
 
Fordham will look to avoid the series sweep in tomorrow's finale with first pitch set for 1 p.m. Junior Chelsea Skrepenak will be honored 30 minutes before that with her swearing-in ceremony to the United State Army.