Softball Sweeps Charlotte in A-10 Showdown

Every team's season includes a variety of tests. This past Sunday, the Fordham softball team encountered one of these challenges, and responded positively.

Fordham was able to sweep a doubleheader from the previously 37-13 Charlotte 49ers, a team that the Lady Rams trailed by a game in the Atlantic 10 standings entering the day.

"It was pretty awesome; we came out and beat them," junior second baseman Beckah Wiggins said. "They have a high RPI, beating them twice really helps us."

"This proves that we belong here," sophomore pitcher Jen Mineau said. "It doesn't bump us up the rankings but it proves that we should be where we are."

As has been the theme all season, Mineau provided Fordham with great pitching, throwing 13 scoreless innings between the two games.

"I just went out there and threw my game," Mineau said.

The first game of the twin bill needed every bit of Mineau's tremendous performance.

After junior third baseman Jocelyn Dearborn led off the game with her ninth home run of the season, the Lady Rams failed to generate any more offense, and, just as the team expected, a pitchers' duel between Mineau and senior pitcher Emily Jeffery ensued.

Charlotte's best threat came in the fourth inning, when junior outfielder Whitney Williams led off the inning with a double. However, she was stranded after Mineau struck out the next two hitters and junior catcher Tenaya Tucker flew out.

Charlotte failed to pick up a second hit until the seventh inning, when Tucker singled with two outs, but it proved to be too little too late and the Lady Rams wrapped up a 1-0 win with Mineau's 16th strikeout of the game.

Following her masterpiece, Mineau took the ball again in the second game, looking to complete what would be a big sweep for Fordham.

She was not quite as dominating in this one after the hitters had already seen her earlier in the afternoon; however, she proved just as effective.

Mineau ran a variety of deep counts and pitched into some trouble in the first, but survived the inning nonetheless.

After senior outfielder Serena Smith dropped in a single to center field with two outs, Tucker hit a long fly ball to left field that sophomore outfielder Lindsay Kay Bright caught against the wall to end the inning.

Charlotte put some heat on Mineau again in the third.

After getting the first two hitters of the inning out easily, Mineau surrendered hits to Williams and junior outfielder Kendra McCall through the left and right sides of the infield, respectively. After pitching coach Mike Forsythe came out to the mound, Mineau fell behind Smith 2-0; however, Mineau battled back and struck her out to end the rally.

Fordham finally got some offense going in the fourth inning. Freshman first baseman Jamie LaBovick led off the inning with a single through the left side.

Then, after a potential home run fell foul by a matter of feet, junior second baseman Beckah Wiggins slammed a double to the right field gap to score LaBovick.

Wiggins later came around to score on a single from junior catcher Meghan Shager, ending Heckett's day as Charlotte tried to stay in the game by bringing in Jeffrey.

Jeffrey was able to get out of the inning, but was not able to keep Charlotte alive.

In the fifth, Dearborn led off the inning by lacing a double to the left field gap.

After LaBovick walked, Wiggins slammed a three-run home run to push the lead to 5-0.

"We were being more patient," Wiggins said. "We waited for pitches to come in the zone and felt a lot more comfortable and able to get some hits."

Fordham ended the game in the sixth, when Dearborn hit a game-ending three-run home run, just fair down the left field line to cap off the 8-0 win.

Mineau picked up her second shutout of the day, allowing five hits and striking out four, while not walking any batters.

With the win, Fordham is now 42-8 and 14-2 in the A-10.

Dearborn said that the wins should put the team in a good position for an NCAA tournament bid.

"This was do-or-die for us," Dearborn said. "This should seal the deal for an at-large bid."

Up next for the Lady Rams is Iona on Wednesday, May 5 and then a doubleheader against St. Bonaventure on Sunday, May 9.

If Fordham can sweep the Bonnies, it will secure a first-round bye in the A-10 Tournament the following week.

"We want to win the A-10 Championship so we don't have to rely on the at-large," Head Coach Bridget Orchard said.