Softball Wraps Up Thrilling Series with Army with Doubleheader Split

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Bronx, N.Y. – The Fordham softball team wrapped up a competitive, back-and-forth four-game series with Army on Sunday with a doubleheader split, taking game one, 5-3, before seeing a furious late rally fall just short, 9-8, in the weekend finale. With the day's results, the Rams move to 25-5 overall, while the Black Knights move to 7-10.
 
"What a good four-game series this weekend against a quality opponent." Head coach Melissa Inouye said, "Offensively, we did a good job with our at-bats, getting better and better as the games went on. We hit a lot of balls hard and credit to Army's outfield as they took several extra-base hits away from us. I'm so proud of our team for fighting to come back down eight runs, including plenty of two-out magic. Tremendous long relief outing by Mak, too, as she really gave us a chance to win and kept them off balance. AP did a good job in game one mixing her pitches and letting the defense play behind her. Overall, nice to see a handful of hitters hit for power and with everyone contributing in some way." 
 
Fordham never trailed in game one as senior Anne Marie Prentiss worked around a pair of Army home runs to earn her fourth win of the year. The Rams fell behind 8-0 after two innings in game two and scored five runs in the final two frames, coming up just short with a runner on third and the game ended on a spectacular diving catch in foul territory. Still, Fordham combined for 13 runs and 21 hits on the day.
 
Prentiss got the ball rolling in the second inning in game one, helping her own cause with a RBI double to score Rachel Hubertus, who had singled to lead off the frame. Hubertus then homered, drilling her first pitch into the left field netting to double the hosts' advantage. Grace Snyder halved the deficit with a solo shot of her own in the fifth but the Rams responded in thrilling fashion in the bottom half when Brianna Pinto raced around the bases for her first career inside-the-park home run, scoring Michaela Carter, as well. Pinto's line drive the opposite way avoided a diving Brook Mitchell as the ball rolled into the farthest corner.
 
Army got back within one with a two-run blast through Ally Snelling, though Prentiss got the next two batters out, including a swinging strikeout to escape further damage. Amanda Carey produced a clutch insurance run in the sixth with a two-out RBI single to center to score Bailey Enoch from second, though it wouldn't be needed in the end. Prentiss got her first two batters out in the seventh but Taylor Livingston singled and Coach Inouye opted to bring Enoch out for a two-pitch, one-out save, the freshman's second this season.
 
The Black Knights scored four runs apiece in the first and second innings of game two, seven coming against senior Gianna Ranieri making her season debut in the circle. The visitors cobbled together five hits and two walks before Makenzie McGrath came in with no outs in the second, allowing a single and a triple for two more runs but ending the threat afterwards. McGrath allowed one run in that frame but otherwise just a solo shot in the sixth, striking out five Black Knights and allowing just eight baserunners over six innings of relief.
 
Fordham got on the board in a hurry in the fourth with three consecutive extra-base hits. Julia Martine led off with a double to left, Madie Aughinbaugh powered her third home run of the year out to left, and Enoch followed up by going back-to-back in nearly the same spot. Down 9-3 in the sixth, the Rams began to rally hard. Enoch walked but was caught just barely off first on a line-out double play on the next batter. That didn't slow the offense down, though, as Aubree Barney singled, Carter tripled to the right centerfield gap, Pinto doubled down the left field line, and Hubertus singled to left all in a row, scoring three runs and halving Army's advantage. Jolie Duong replaced Alicyn Grete in the circle and Sarah Taffet singled to center but, in bizarre fashion, the inning ended when Martine's hard hit drive up the middle went directly into Duong's outstretched glove above her head.
 
McGrath worked around a pair of seventh-inning walks with two strikeouts and the Rams came up looking to keep the momentum going. Aughinbaugh and Enoch each flew out to begin the frame but Prentiss kept hope alive with a booming solo home run into the netting in left. Barney ripped a single to left and Carter was about a foot or two away from tying the game up when her drive to dead center hit the wall, the sophomore racing into third with a stand-up RBI triple, becoming just the third Ram to ever triple twice in one game. Pinto's second pitch seemed destined to drop in just down the left field line but Mitchell returned the favor on her missed dive from earlier and dove to end the game barely in foul territory at a full sprint.
 
Pinto led the way with four hits in six at-bats, matching her career-high with three hits in game two. Barney, Carter, and Hubertus each had one multi-hit game on the day, while Enoch reached safely twice in game two.
 
Fordham continues with nonconference action on Wednesday under the lights at Hofstra with a 6 p.m. start. The Rams will then head to La Salle next weekend for four games on Saturday and Sunday.