Orlando, Fla. – The Fordham softball team suffered a late loss, 3-2, to UAB on Sunday morning in weekend finale of this year's Diamond 9 Citrus Classic. With the loss, the Rams fall to 5-9 on the year.
The Rams and Blazers were tied for the majority of the contest, each scoring one run apiece in the second inning and holding that score until the seventh when UAB scored two runs in the top-half and the Rams rally fell just short when only one run crossed. Freshman
Makenzie McGrath, in relief on junior
Madie Aughinbaugh, was saddled with her first loss after allowing the two runs over her two frames.
UAB got on the board first with three singles, the only damage done against Aughinbaugh over her five innings. The Rams answered right away in the bottom-half of the frame on an error.
Molly Roark and
Kylie Michael led off with walks and
Julia Martine's grounder was misplayed by the first baseman, allowing Roark to score.
The Rams had at least one runner on in each of the next four innings, the Blazers in three of the four. UAB went ahead on a leadoff home run in the seventh and the go-ahead run came on a one-out sac fly. McGrath worked around a two-on jam after that to limit the damage.
Jordy Storm, pinch-hitting for Deanna Bubridge, stroked a double to right to lead off the seventh, with Burbridge returning to pinch run and scoring on a two-out error by the Blazers pitcher off the bat of
Maria Trivelpiece. The rally was stopped thereafter when
Rachel Hubertus grounded out.
Michael reached base all three of her trips to the plate, with a single and two walks, and Roark also reached twice with a single and a walk. Four others had one hit. Aughinbaugh allowed just the one run on six hits and a walk, with one strikeout, over her five innings.
The Rams return to action with next weekend's I-75 Challenge, playing doubleheaders at Georgia Tech and Georgia State on Friday and Saturday, respectively, starting at 1 p.m., and a one-off at Kennesaw State on Sunday.
