SAN JOSE, Calif. (Feb. 18, 2024) – Closing the weekend in dramatic fashion, Fordham University Softball defeated Portland State 6-5 in extra innings Sunday to close the Silicon Valley Classic.
Dominating on the offensive end early in the day the Rams would take a 2-0 lead early, before doubling their advantage in the fifth. Portland State would add a run back in the top of the sixth, before a three-run rally in the seventh sent the game into extra innings.
After a quiet eighth inning, the Vikings would take their first lead of the game, but the Rams answered right back with a triple from Bailey Enoch and a single by Mikayla Swan on the first two at-bats in the ninth to take the win and finish the Silicon Valley Classic 2-3 after claiming a win over Santa Clara Friday.
Devon Miller would start the game in the circle for Fordham, giving up just two hits through the first five innings, ending the day with five strikeouts while giving up five hits, receiving a no-decision for the day. Holly Beeman would come on for the final 2.1, allowing one hit and tallying a single strikeout to earn her first victory of the campaign.
The Rams would open the scoring early on a Wells single in the bottom of the first, and would double up their advantage on a sac fly in the second inning. From there, neither side would allow a run for the next two innings before Fordham added two more in the bottom half of the fifth.
Koratsis would drill a single to the outfield to score Mallory McClellan, before Miller singled with a runner on second, allowing Hoppe to score to make it 4-0 Rams.
The shutout would hold into the six for Fordham as Miller gave up just two hits through the first five innings, before Portland State broke through with a single run in the sixth. A seventh inning rally would see the Vikings level the score, before heading into extras tied at four.
A 1-2-3 inning for both sides in the eighth, was followed by Portland State using the extra inning rule to their advantage, advancing a runner from second on a ground out before coming around to score to take the lead into the bottom of the ninth.
With Kate McGuire on second, the Rams would strike quickly as Enoch rattled a triple into left center to leadoff, scoring the tying run and putting herself 60 feet away from winning the game. On the next at bat, Swan would bring Enoch home on a base hit up the middle as the Rams hung on for a 6-5 win to close the Silicon Valley Classic.
Fordham softball will have a break from tournament play this weekend, heading up to Connecticut Saturday for their lone competition of the weekend, a doubleheader at Sacred Heart.
