JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Feb. 8, 2024) – As the days start to get longer and we draw closer to the official start of spring, Fordham University softball will open its spring slate of games this weekend in Florida. The Rams will play five games this weekend against four different opponents at North Florida and Jacksonville.
On the Docket
Friday the Rams will play a pair of games beginning at 1:30 against Southern Miss and immediately followed by a 4:00 matchup with North Florida. Saturday morning Fordham will take on Southern Miss again at 11:00 a.m. before taking on Jacksonville state at 4:00 p.m. that afternoon. The weekend wraps up early Sunday morning with a 9:00 meeting with Ball State.
Live stats are available for all five games this weekend, with the games split between North Florida and Jacksonville's campuses. In addition, Friday afternoon's game against North Florida will air live on ESPN+ at 4:00 p.m.
Running Through the Order
The 2024 Rams return five of their top offensive players from a year ago, including Neleh Nogay who hit .397 in 44 starts last season, leading the team while scattering 52 hits and scoring 25 runs, and tallying 15 stolen bases on 16 tries. Sydney Wells joins Nogay as one of the top threats in the batting order for her side, coming off a season that saw her slam eight home runs, and lead the team in RBI's and extra base hits to finish the year with a .520 slugging percentage. Bailey Enoch was the only Ram to play in every game last season, drawing a team high 26 walks and 12 hit by pitches, finishing along with Nogay as one of two players with a +.400 on-base percentage. Tallying 216 putouts without a single error a year ago, Eva Koratsis finished flawless on the defensive end in 2023, while also providing 22 hits and 17 RBI's offensively.
In the circle the Rams return the entirety of last year's pitching staff, including Holly Beeman who recorded 22 starts and a team-high 109.1 innings pitched. Her rookie campaign would see her earn eight wins and end the year with a 1.89 ERA, finishing amongst the top-20 players in the nation. Enoch, who threw 87.0 innings a year ago, made 13 starts for the Rams, earning six wins alongside Devon Miller who returns to the squad for a fifth-year after hurling 86.2 innings in 2023.
Welcome to Rose Hill
Coach Inouye added five new players, including a graduate transfer and one international student to the Fordham roster in 2024. Joining the Rams from Boston College, Gianna Sarlo was a career .250 hitter for the Eagles, starting eight games in each of the last two seasons, including her junior year where she hit .357 in 19 appearances.
Hailing from Canada, Olivia Simcoe comes to Rose Hill as one of four freshmen on the roster, and the lone international student for the Rams in 2024, adding even more depth to the pitching core. The Rams will also add two more local prospects from the Tri-State, with Mikayla Swan and Erin Hoppe joining the squad from New Jersey, and Annie Sullivan rounds out the 2024 roster, a native of Wheaton, Ill.
New Coach on the Block
In August of 2023 Mackenzie Swinehart joined the Rams as an assistant coach after a two-year stint as an assistant coach at Notre Dame.
In her two years in South Bend, the Fighting Irish amassed an overall record of 70-31-1, making an appearance in the NCAA Regionals in each of those seasons. Prior to coaching with the Fighting Irish, Swinehart was a four-year softball player at Western Michigan University where she set all-time career marks for the program in hits (243) and runs scored (673) and is second all-time with a career .361 batting average.
A-10 Preseason Poll
Ahead of the start of the 2024 season, Fordham softball was picked fifth in the A-10 Preseason Coaches' Poll, receiving 62 votes overall.
Scouting the Opponents
Southern Miss finished last season 22-24 and 6-17 in the Sun Belt, and return their top two hitters from a year ago in Jana Lee and Hannah Borden, who each hit better than .320 in 2023 and finished with an OPS above .950. With an all-new pitching staff this season, the Lady Eagles added three junior transfers to their roster along with freshman BrookLynn White.
North Florida ended last season 29-23-1, including a 10-13-1 record in the ASUN. Three players finished above .300 offensively for the Ospreys, including both Shannon Glover and Olivia Culp who combined for 112 hits including 15 home runs a year ago. Kayla Harper finished just behind them with 46 hits and led the team with 26 stolen bases on 29 tries. Ashley Connor returns to the North Florida pitching core after making 25 starts in 2023, earning 12 wins and finishing with a 2.56 ERA.
Finishing 25-27 overall and 11-13 in ASUN play last season, Jacksonville is led by Madison Reynolds who hit .323 a season ago, with 51 hits and 28 RBI's she would also draw a team best 22 walks and nab 10 stolen bases. Ashley Harwood finished with the second most innings pitched for the Sharks, throwing 110.1 in 31 appearances and 19 starts, earning eight wins for a 3.84 ERA.
Compiling a 27-26 record overall while going 17-12 in MAC action last year, Ball State finished with four players hitting above .300 with at least a .990 OPS. Amaia Daniel and Haley Wynn tallied 61 hits apiece in 2023, and combined for 44 walks on the year. After 73.2 innings pitched, Bridie Murphy threw the second most innings for the Cardinals, earning eight wins and finishing with a 3.71 ERA.
What's On Deck
After going North to South the first week of the campaign, Fordham will head East-to-West as they travel to California for five games in Santa Clara and San Jose next weekend.
