Softball Hosts Kent State for Saturday Nonconference Doubleheader

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Bronx, N.Y. – Fordham softball (16-14, 7-4) continues nonconference play during their league bye weekend by hosting Kent State (11-18, 3-8 MAC) on Saturday afternoon for a doubleheader. Links for both games on ESPN+ and live stats are above.   
 
Last Time Out
Fordham and Manhattan reignited the Battle of the Bronx for the first since 2010 on Wednesday afternoon at Gaelic Park in Riverdale and, although they started slowly, the Rams prevailed, 8-3, thanks to a big six-run sixth inning that featured a Devon Miller game-tying single, a Kelly Bright two-run double, and freshman Allie Clark's first career home run, a three-run shot. Read about it all here.
 
Series History vs. Kent State
The two schools met for the first time to open 2020's Duke Invitational in Durham, N.C., though the Golden Flashes were victorious, 14-5, after six innings. The Rams opened up with three runs in the first and plated two more in the second, with Pinto, Taffet, Martine, Carter, and Bright all notching at least one hit, the latter three all tallying two, and Carter also reaching via walk. Martine homered in that game, a two-run shot, while Pinto and Carter each stole a base. 
 
Speed Kills
Graduate student Brianna Pinto is a perfect 18-for-18 in stolen base attempts this season and has been caught stealing just ONCE in her five-year career at Fordham, way back in April of her freshman season. She is now up to 78 for her career, five more than the previous record set by Krystle Henry in 2007. Unsurprisingly, Pinto leads the Atlantic 10 on the basepaths, but nationally she sits 33^rd in total steals and 31^st with 0.60 thefts per contest.
 
#Dinger Watch
Redshirt senior Rachel Hubertus is on an absolute tear in recent weeks, seeing a five-game home run streak ended on Wednesday. She is now up to 12 on the year, easily leading the Atlantic 10 and 22^nd in all of Division I and 14^th with 0.40 per game. She has started surging up the all-time list and is now tied for seventh all-time, alongside Paige Ortiz ('15), with 34. Meanwhile, Julia Martine, with eight, and Bailey Enoch, with six, rank second and third, respectively, in the A-10. Put together, the Rams are 32^nd nationally with 1.17 dingers per game.
 
Milestone Watch
Pinto became Fordham softball's all-time stolen base leader with her 74^th career steal at home in the series finale against Rhode Island on March 27^th. She is now up to 78 during her five seasons in the Bronx. Home runs aside, Hubertus is now just nine RBIs away from joining that all-time top-10, as well, and has moved up to fourth all-time currently with a career .618 slugging percentage. The pair are also on pace to enter the top-10 for four-year batting average, as well, by season's end.
 
With her latest no-hitter, Devon Miller is now joint-seventh with nine career shutouts. She is also moving up the strikeout charts, now eighth with 280, and last Sunday moved into 10^th all-time with 23 career victories, as well.
 
Hubertus, Miller Garner A-10 Weekly Awards
Last week, Hubertus earned her second career weekly accolade from the conference, while Miller picked up her fourth career Pitcher nod. Read about their weekends here.
 
Makenzie McGrath Named Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Week
The senior earned her first weekly league accolade on February 15 after picking up both of the team's wins opening weekend, one in her fifth career complete game and one in relief. Read all about her stellar performances here.
 
A-10 Preseason Poll
The Rams were predicted to finish second in the annual Atlantic 10 preseason coaches poll. Fordham garnered 71 points and three first-place votes, finishing just three points shy of last year's champions, George Washington, who received four first-place votes, and ahead of Saint Joseph's, who earned the final two first-place votes and 55 total points. Read about it here.
 
D1Softball.com's Top 150
Junior pitcher and reigning Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year Devon Miller was named by D1Softball.com as its 149^th-best player in the country heading into the season. You can read about it here, though it is a subscription-based website.
 
Up Next
Fordham continue playing nonconference opponents by traveling to nearby Hofstra next Wednesday, April 13^th, for one game at 6 p.m.