KINGSTON, R.I. - Scoring runs in five straight innings to win their final game of the regular season, Fordham University Softball defeated Rhode Island, 9-4 Sunday afternoon.
Ending the year 27-24 with a 17-9 record in A-10 play, the Rams have earned the No. 3 seed in the 2025 Atlantic 10 Softball Championship, and will play No. 6 Loyola Chicago in the opening round of the tournament Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. in Washington D.C.
When it was all said and done, the Maroon and White saw eight different Rams score a run between the second and sixth innings, while scattering 15 hits on the day. Every player in the lineup tallied a hit or scored a run, including a run from Annie Sullivan as a pinch runner, and from Sophie Nesturick as a pinch hitter.
Mallory McClellan led the way with three hits, ahead of four different Rams with two apiece, and also led the way as the only Fordham player with multiple RBIs in the series win over Rhody. Elizabeth Gaisior picked up her third win in as many outings, coming on in relief for the final 3.1 shutout innings out of the bullpen, allowing just two hits while striking out four.
The visiting Rams took the lead after loading the bases in back-to-back innings, scoring in the top of the second on a RBI groundout from Neleh Nogay, ahead of a RBI single by Allie Clark to take a 2-0 lead through three. Doubling that advantage on a two-base knock by Mallory McClellan in the fourth inning, Fordham pulled ahead further, before Rhode Island rallied in the bottom of the frame to tie things up at 4-4.
Responding quickly in their next turn at-bat Nicki Sudall sparked a four-run Rams' rally with a RBI double to left field, before Sydney Wells scored, for the second time on the day, from third on a wild pitch to give Fordham back a two run lead. Kate McGuire brought Sudall in to score on a single back up the middle, before she came home to score off a McClellan single for her third RBI of the afternoon.
Adding one more run in the sixth Mikayla Swan advanced to third on a sac fly by Sudall, coming home to score on the play after an error on the throw in.
Fordham heads to Washington D.C. for the 2025 Atlantic 10 Softball Championship, hosted by George Washington.
