Clearwater, Fla. – Fordham softball wrapped up play at the NFCA Leadoff Classic on Sunday morning, falling to Pittsburgh, 7-3. The Rams conclude their opening weekend with a record of 1-4.
The Panthers struck for two runs in the second inning, a RBI single and a HBP with the bases loaded, and tacked on a third in the fourth on a RBI double. Fordham responded in the fifth frame with three runs to tie the contest.
Bailey Enoch and
Julia Petrovich each singled to begin the inning, with
Mary Grace O'Neill pinch-running for the latter and stealing second base.
Kate McGuire drew a walk to load the bases and
Sarah Taffet brought the first run in with a groundout to first. Coming off the bench, freshman
Nicki Sudall recorded her first collegiate hit with a drive to right to plate two and knot the game up.
Pittsburgh struck back immediately, however, with a RBI single in the fifth and added three more runs in the sixth on a bases-loaded single that turned into an error, an obstruction call, and all three runs scoring.
Devon Miller was saddled with the loss, going the distance and striking out seven but allowing six earned runs and six walks. Fordham's other hit came from
Neleh Nogay, who finishes her first weekend with four hits across five starts. Average-wise,
Mallory McClellan paced the squad by hitting .400 (2-for-5), while
Julia Martine slugged .647 with 11 total bases (thanks mostly to her two round-trippers) and was named to the All-Leadoff Classic team.
Fordham returns to action next weekend with Elon's Phoenix Invitational. The Rams will kick the tournament off against Saint Francis, who they'll also close the weekend out against on Sunday, on Friday at 9:30 a.m. and then take on the hosts at noon.
