HARRISONBURG, VA. – Playing as the home side in a pair of games Sunday afternoon, Fordham University Softball saw both its opponents pull ahead in the opening frame, having to battle back the rest of the way in each, falling to Binghamton 13-3, and Radford, 7-3.
Binghamton broke out to a 9-1 lead in the early going Sunday, though Fordham kept themselves in the game until the sixth, where the Bearcats pulled ahead by 10 to win by run-rule.
Game two saw Radford defend a 2-0 lead from the first inning on, before scoring four runs in the sixth to surge in front, limiting the Rams' rally to three runs in the bottom of the frame, before holding off the Maroon and White in the seventh to take the win by four.
After scoring 33 runs on 28 hits over their last four games coming into Sunday, the Rams bats cooled off a bit, but still tallied six runs while scattering 10 hits across the two games, as they took to the cages for warmups just over 12 hours after departing from the campus James Madison following action the night before.
Going winless at the Lakeside Book Company Tournament this weekend following Wednesday's victory over Iona in New Rochelle, the Rams fall to 7-13 on the year, with the home opener this week against Hofstra marking the final game before Atlantic 10 play begins Saturday against Loyola Chicago in The Bronx.
Game 1: Binghamton 13, Fordham 3
Striking early and often, Binghamton tallied runs in each of the first four innings, sending out a three run home run in the first, and a solo shot in the first to take a 4-0 lead. Fordham added a run back on a Sophie Nesturrick single to right center, but the Bearcats poured on five runs in the following inning to pull ahead by eight.
The Rams fought off the run rule with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame, as Eva Koratsis doubled to the gap in left, ahead of a Nicki Sudall single to score Koratsis and cut into the deficit. Binghamton however, managed a run in the fourth and three more in the sixth, to take the game an inning early.
Game 2: Radford 7, Fordham 3
Taking control in the top of the first, Radford struck for a pair of runs in the opening frame, and defended a slim lead for much of the day. Emilee Watkins would keep the Rams in it as she held the Highlanders off the board for the next four innings, before a four-run rally in the sixth saw them pull ahead 6-0.
Fordham answered immediately with three runs in the bottom of the inning, as Ava Vandernoth sent a first-pitch solo shot to right center for her first collegiate homer, ahead of an RBI single by Koratiss to score a pair. Radford tacked on one more run in the seventh to set the final tally.
What's Next?
Fordham looks to bounce back from the weekend in Virginia with its first homestand of the 2025 season set to begin this Wednesday as the Rams host Hofstra at 3:00 p.m. on ESPN+ from Bahoshy Field.
