Las Vegas, Nev. – The Fordham softball team wrapped up its stay at the Rebel Classic with a Saturday split, defeating Utah Valley, 5-3, but falling to BYU, 11-3, in five innings. With the day's results, the Rams move to 4-5 on the year.
"It was a tough weekend as far as results go, but each game taught us something different," Head coach
Melissa Inouye said, "We're learning and staying with the process. I thought we swung the bats pretty well throughout the weekend. We're looking forward to getting back to practice."
Senior
Molly Roark put Fordham on the board first in each contest with home runs, but it was only in game one that the Rams were able to rally for victory after falling behind. Roark powered a 1-1 pitch over the centerfield wall in the third inning of game one to give Fordham a slim 1-0 advantage but the Wolves rallied for two runs in the top of the fifth.
Madie Aughinbaugh, who had allowed just two hits to that point, allowed a walk and a single in the frame before Brianna Moeller drove in the pair with a triple down the right field line.
Fordham sprang for four runs in the bottom of the sixth to retake the lead for good.
Rachel Hubertus led off with a double and
Gianna Ranieri walked.
Kylie Michael's single scored Hubertus before
Deanna Burbridge sacrificed the runners over.
Chelsea Skrepenak took a 1-2 pitch into left center for a double to score
Julia Martine, running for Ranieri, and
Jordy Storm smacked a two-run single through the right side to plate what would prove to be the winning run. The Wolverines threatened in the seventh, loading the bases with two outs against Aughinbaugh and scoring one on a walk, but the junior battled back to strike out the next batter to secure her second win of the year.
Roark got things started in game two with a two-run bomb to center, scoring Skrepenak, before Hubertus went back-to-back with a solo shot, giving the Rams an early 3-0 lead over the Cougars.
Anne Marie Prentiss worked out of a two-on jam in the first with a strikeout but BYU scored six runs in the second. BYU pitcher Ari Paulson would limit the Rams to just two hits the rest of the way.
Hubertus and Michael each tallied three hits to pace the offense, the latter with all three in game one. Skrepenak reached base four times via a single, double, and two walks. For the weekend, Hubertus led the way with a .583/.583/1.167 slash line with a pair of home runs, a double, and four runs scored. Skrepenak notched six hits, six runs, three walks, and a pair of stolen bases. Five different Rams tallied between three and four hits; all three of Roark's hits went over the fence.
Madie Aughinbaugh made three appearances, two starts, and went the distance in one, recording a 1-1 record over 13.2 frames. Her three appearances moves her past Nicole Ayers ('02) for ninth all-time, with 73, while her two starts and lone complete game move her out of a tie for 10
th in both categories, with 52 and 30, respectively.
The Rams next travel to Disney's Wide World of Sports complex in Orlando for the Diamond 9 Citrus Classic. Fordham will play Morgan State and Iowa on Friday, February 22
nd, beginning at noon.
