HARRISONBURG, VA. – Facing a long day that lasted nearly 11 hours Friday, Fordham University Softball battled throughout the day, falling in a pair of one run games, 8-7, to Binghamton, and 6-5, to Radford in eight innings.
With an 11:00 a.m. first pitch in game one against the Bearcats, the Rams bookended day one of the Lakeside Book Company Tournament, playing the first and last game of the day, with the latter game against the Highlanders lasting just shy of 2.5 hours, ending just before 9:00 p.m.
The Rams offense was rolling all afternoon, coming off their most runs scored on the year in a 10-2 win at Iona on Wednesday, as they loaded the bases on five different occasions Friday, and put at least one runner on in 11 of their 15 innings played on the day. In the last three games Fordham has driven in 22 runs, after scoring 30 through their first 14 games of the campaign. Friday's games also marked the eighth and ninth the Rams have played this season decided by only a single run.
Taking an early 3-1 lead over Binghamton in game one Friday morning, the Maroon and White rallied for four runs in the fourth inning to break out to a seven-run lead. Countering with two runs in the fifth, the Bearcats were helped by a grand slam as part of a five-run bottom of the sixth to pull ahead 8-7 and steal the win.
Taking an early 2-0 lead with a two-run home run to start game two against Radford, the Highlanders tied things up in their first turn at bat, setting up a back-and-forth battle the rest of the way. Fordham tallied a run in the third, but saw Radford strike for three of their own immediately after to take a 5-3 lead. Evening things up with two runs in the fifth, the Rams sent the game to extras, before Radford walked things off in the bottom of the eighth on a fielder's choice with one out and the bases loaded.
Posting four RBI's across the two games, Allie Clark tallied a pair of two run knocks on the day, including her second career homer in game two over Radford, on just the second at-bat of the game.
Also sending a two-run double into the gap in game one, Clark tallied three hits on the day and scored two runs, while Sydney Wells tallied three RBI's in game one, and Erin Hoppe did the same with three in game two.
Game 1: Binghamton 8, Fordham 7
The Rams drew five walks in the morning game, and tallied seven runs on eight hits against Binghamton, with Clark, Wells and Eva Koratsis tallying two hits apiece. Each member of that trio came around to score in the game along with Mallory McClellan twice, and both Hoppe and Neleh Nogay once each.
Breaking out to an early lead, Binghamton scored a run in the bottom of the first, quickly answered in the Rams' next turn at the dish, rallying for three runs in the second to take back the lead. Putting a pair of runners on with one out in the frame, Sophie Nesturrick brought home Koratsis to tie the game, and the Rams added two more runs on an RBI double to right by Clark.
Fordham added to its advantage in the fourth inning, loading the bases on a pair of singles and a walk, before Wells cleared the bases with a three-run double down the line in right field. In what ended up being a four-out inning for the Rams, Koratsis would reach on a bobbled strikeout that was overthrown at first base, allowing Wells to score to open a 7-1 Rams lead.
Responding with two runs to draw within four in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Bearcats loaded the bases and forced in a run, before a grand slam with two outs in the frame, to pull ahead 8-7, before setting down the Rams in order to close the seventh.
Game 2: Radford 6, Fordham 5
Seven different players tallied a hit in game two, with four coming home to score, including Nogay twice, in a back-and-forth game from the first inning through extras Friday night.
Fordham took advantage in its first turn at the dish, as Nogay reached safely and stole second, before Clark launched her second career home run over the wall in left center to put her side in front 2-0. Matching the Rams with two runs of their own in the bottom of the frame, Radford tied the game at two, ahead of an RBI flyout by Hoppe in the top of the third to take back the lead.
Countering once again, the Highlanders rallied for three runs in the bottom of the inning, and held a 5-3 lead through four innings in game two. Fordham loaded the bases in the top of the fifth, setting up a two-run single by Hoppe to tie things up at five, and that score would hold through to extra innings in the nightcap, where Radford loaded the bases, and walked things off with a run scored in the bottom of the eighth.
What's Next?
The Maroon and White are back in action at the Lakeside Book Company Tournament tomorrow with back-to-back games tomorrow night at 4:00 and 6:30 p.m. taking on the hosts James Madison ahead of a second game against Radford. Game one against JMU will air on ESPN+.
