MIAMI, Fla. -- Getting the victory in the circle while sealing it in the batter's box, Victoria Klimaszewski drilled a walk-off two run home run in the eighth inning Saturday night, to lift Fordham University Softball past Harvard in eight innings and send them to the FIU Classic Championship game tomorrow morning.
After falling to the Crimson in the final game of Round Robin play earlier in the day, 4-0, the two sides squared off a second time for a spot in the tournament title game, under the lights in Miami following a weather delay prior to the start.
Klimaszewski picked up the victory out of the bullpen for Fordham in game two, as the right-hander went the final three innings, giving up one run on one hit, allowing two walks and striking out three. At the plate, it was also Klimaszewski who sealed the victory in extra innings, with the walk-off two-run homer.
McGuire furnished a noteworthy performance as well, going 3-for-3 in the nightcap with a double, a walk and an RBI, and Eva Koratsis also chipped in for Fordham, putting together two hits in four trips to the plate while adding a double and two RBIs.
HOW GAME ONEÂ HAPPENED
Harvard took an early lead with a solo shot in the top of the first, and it was a pitchers duel for much of the way. Olivia Simcoe would allow just the single run midway through her outing in the circle, before the Crimson tacked on two more runs in the fourth, and one in the sixth.
GAME ONE NOTES
» The Rams tallied five hits across the day.
» At the plate, the Rams were led by Neleh Nogay, who went 2-for-4 in game one.
» Kate McGuire put together a standout performance at the dish as well, going 1-for-3 with a double.
HOW GAME TWOÂ HAPPENED
The Rams got on the board immediately, starting their scoring with one run in the bottom of the first inning. Fordham got on the board thanks to McGuire's RBI double with one out.
The Crimson failed to push any runs across before the Rams built on their lead in the third inning. Fordham pushed two runs across on a two-run double off the bat of Koratsis that brought home McGuire and Nicki Sudall, which gave the Rams a 3-0 lead.
Fordham's advantage turned into a 4-3 Harvard lead as the Crimson scored a pair in the fourth and fifth inning. With the Rams down to there final out, it was a clutch game tying single by Sadira Forcucci to send the game to extra innings.
With the international rule in effect, placing a runner on second for both sides, Harvard took a 5-4 lead with a single run in the top of the eighth, before Klimaszewski led off the bottom of the frame with a walk-off two run shot, giving the Rams a shot at the tournament title tomorrow.
GAME TWO NOTES
» McGuire compiled three base hits in the game for Fordham.
» Four Rams had multiple hits in the ballgame.
» In a game that saw a total of 25 hits, the Rams out-hit the Crimson at a 13-12 clip.
» Klimaszewski led the Rams at the plate, going 1 for 2 with a home run and two RBIs.
NEXT UP
The Rams will face the hosts, FIU, in the Championship game of the FIU Classic at 11:30 Sunday afternoon on ESPN+.
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