Stony Brook, N.Y. – The Fordham softball team's win streak is up to 18 in a row with Thursday afternoon's 5-2 road victory. During the contest senior
Brianna Pinto also set the single-game record for steals with four. The Rams improve to 21-3 on the year.
"What a great team win as we did a lot of things well today – solid pitching, good defense, timely hitting, and baserunning." Head coach
Melissa Inouye said, "Augie did a good job feeding the defense and got better as the game went on, Devon came in to change the rhythm of the game and give them a different look, doing well to close the game out. Our hitters made things happen on the bases and had some timely hits, especially Rachel's two-run home run to give us some cushion, which was huge."
Madie Aughinbaugh made her 100
th career start and picked up her 63
rd career win, and 10
th in a row to begin this season, over 4.2 frames before giving way to reigning NFCA Pitcher of the Week
Devon Miller, who earned her second save over 2.1 hitless innings. The Rams were behind early but rallied to halve the deficit in the third and took the lead for good in the fifth before a two-run
Rachel Hubertus home run in the seventh provided more cushion.
The Seawolves struck first in the second after a pair of 1-2-3 half-innings in the first as Joanna Nowakowski's two-run blast put the hosts ahead. Fordham responded immediately with the help of the Stony Brook defense, though, in the top of the third. Pinto reached on an error and eventually stole home during a double steal with
Sarah Taffet. The Rams threatened again in the fourth with a pair of runners in scoring position but they were left stranded.
Stony Brook brought in Melissa Rahrich to start the fifth but the Rams ended up taking the lead in her first inning of work. Pinto led off with a single, stole second, and stole her fourth base of the day on a double steal with Aughinbaugh, who had walked. With the bases loaded, Hubertus evened the game up with a single to center and
Bella Ayala drove in the go-ahead run in Pinto with a sac fly.
Miller came on in relief on Aughinbaugh in the fifth and over her two-plus innings allowed her first baserunner in three appearances, a walk, finishing with three walks allowed but no hits. Hubertus powered out her fourth home run of the year to right center, scoring
Julia Martine, in the seventh before Miller shut the door with a clean frame, including a strikeout, to pick up the save.
Hubertus led the way with a 2-for-3 day with three RBIs, a walk, and a run scored. Ayala also reached base twice with a single and walk, while five others reached bases safely via hit or walk once. Aughinbaugh improved to a perfect 10-0 on the year with her effort, two runs allowed on four hits and two walks with one strikeout, while Miller finished with two punchouts and still no hits allowed in three straight appearances. Pinto, meanwhile, also moved up into a tie for fifth all-time with Amy Van Hoven ('17) with 49 career stolen bases, passing Ivy Pollock ('05).
Fordham is back in action this Saturday in unusual fashion – hosting Atlantic 10 foe St. Bonaventure in nonconference action with a doubleheader beginning at noon. Both contests will be streamed on ESPN+.
