Bronx, N.Y. – The Fordham softball team picked up its third straight win on Wednesday, avenging an loss earlier in the season on the road at Seton Hall, defeating the Pirates, 6-0, at Bahoshy Field. Grad student
Madie Aughinbaugh earned her 13
th career shutout, joining two others in a tie for third-most all-time. With the win, the Rams move to 6-3 on the year.
"Really good team win as we had solid pitching, defense, and timely hitting." Head coach
Melissa Inouye said, "We did a great job getting our lead-off hitters on in five of the six innings and made two good defensive plays to get out of a bases loaded one-out jam. We look forward to carrying this momentum into the weekend."
Aughinbaugh helped her own cause by going 2-for-4 at the plate with a pair of RBIs, but it was her run on a throwing error while she tried to advance to third on a flyout after doubling to begin the game that proved to be all she would need in the contest. The Port Tobacco, Md. native worked in and out of trouble all afternoon, allowing 11 baserunners, but made the right pitches and got some defensive help to shut the Pirates out, striking out five to improve to 4-0 on the year.
Where Aughinbaugh made things happen in the first, it was fellow captain
Brianna Pinto who conjured up the team's second run in the third inning. Pinto beat out an infield single, stole second, advanced to third on a passed ball, and scored on an Aughinbaugh groundout. Fordham continued to chip away with a run in the fourth, loading the bases with one out, but only
Michaela Carter's infield single could push across a run.
The Rams opened things up in the sixth with three more runs, all with two outs. Aughinbaugh doubled home
Aubree Barney, who had led off with a first-pitch infield single, then
Julia Martine doubled Aughinbaugh and
Sarah Taffet home to cap the scoring.
Aughinbaugh was joined by freshman
Bella Ayala with multi-hit efforts, the latter enjoying the first of her career. Six other Rams picked up a hit, while three drew a walk. Pinto's steal was the 37
th of her career, breaking a tie with Aughinbaugh for eighth and moving into a tie with former teammate
Chelsea Skrepenak for seventh.
The Rams are scheduled to play Army in a doubleheader on Friday and host Maine for three games over Saturday and Sunday.
