Women’s Softball Gaining National Attention

The Fordham softball team (10-4) has made quite an impact in the college softball world these past two weekends. 

For the third time in Fordham softball history, the team defeated a nationally ranked opponent. 

The Lady Rams defeated No. 19 Texas A&M on Feb. 25, at their opening game of the Palm Springs Classic in Cathedral City, Calif. Later that same weekend, the Lady Rams took down UNLV and Oregon State. However, they suffered two losses to No. 14 California and San Diego State.

 “The games this weekend and last weekend were huge because Fordham softball is finally getting some national recognition,” sophomore Jen Mineau said. “We’re winning some big games we aren’t expected to, and more importantly, we’re winning all the games we’re supposed to. We’re not even hitting up to our full potential yet and we’re still coming out and winning big games.”

The Feb. 26-27 tournament began with what was supposed to be one of the toughest games of the weekend, but the team emerged victorious by a final score of 4-0. 

The Texas A&M game remained scoreless until the fifth inning. 

Senior Erin Fisher got on base with a walk. Sophomore left fielder Jessica Richards and sophomore designated player Nicole Callahan both followed with bunts, loading the bases. 

Two batters later, junior third baseman Jocelyn Dearborn hit a single to right field, scoring Fisher. Then sophomore centerfielder Lindsey Kay Bright hit a sacrifice fly to left field scoring Richards. The fifth inning ended with a 2-0 lead for the Lady Rams.

The next and final two runs were earned in the sixth inning when freshman Jamie LaBovick who hit a two-run home run scoring junior shortstop Samantha Pellechio who had singled before LaBovick.

The Lady Rams were led through the game by Mineau (5-1) who struck out 15 of 24 batters.

The team’s second game of the day was against San Diego State. However, the final score was not as pleasing as the previous game, as the Lady Rams lost 3-1.

The game opened with a run for the Aztecs in the first.

However, the Rams quickly matched San Diego State scoring a run in the second inning thanks to Fisher’s home run. 

This unfortunately was the first and last run of the evening for the Lady Rams, despite coming close to scoring again in the third.

The game was pitched by LaBovick, junior Chelsea Plimpton (0-2) and Mineau.

The next day of the tournament the Lady Rams faced another nationally ranked team, California, and were defeated 5-2. 

Mineau pitched the first three innings, and Plimpton closed out the rest of the game.

Entering the third, Cal led Fordham 3-0. 

The Rams, however fought back with a run scored by Bright, who had singled and was brought around the bases by junior Beckah Wiggins and Fisher, both with singles of their own. The score now was 3-1.

In the fifth, the Golden Bears scored two more runs, building their lead to 5-1.

The Lady Rams did not score again until the sixth inning when Wiggins singled to third base and took both second and third on wild pitches and was brought home by a single by Callahan.

Neither team scored again, leaving the final score at 5-2.

The final game of the tournament was against UNLV. The Lady Rams, led by Mineau, shut out UNLV 4-0, with all four runs scored in the fourth inning.

The Lady Rams left the Palm Spring Classic and entered the Under Armor Invitational in Clearwater, Fla. with a 6-3 record.

The first four games of the Invitational were all victories for the Lady Rams, but the last game unfortunately ended with a loss.

Their games were against Florida International, Florida Gulf Coast, Central Michigan, Memphis and Ball State.

The first two games on March 1 were against the two teams from Florida.

Mineau once again pitched a shutout for the Lady Rams on Friday against Florida International as the Rams defeated FIU 1-0. 

The one and only run of the day was scored in the sixth on Fisher who was brought in by a single by Callahan.

The next game was a come from behind win for the Lady Rams against Florida Gulf Coast.

The team won 6-5. Florida Gulf Coast scored in the top of the first with a two-run homer to lead off the game. However, Fordham quickly reacted by scoring a run in the bottom of the first after a double by LaBovick and a triple by Fisher.

In the top of the fourth Florida scored two more runs, adding to their lead.

In the fifth the Lady Rams scored four runs, stealing the lead from Florida to make the score 5-4.

The close game became nerve-racking for the Lady Rams when Florida scored one more run in the sixth to tie the game.

However, the Lady Rams pulled through in the bottom half with a single by Callahan which enabled Dearborn to score. Fordham held on to win 6-5.

On March 6, the Lady Rams faced Central Michigan and Memphis and won both games.

To finish the tournament, the Lady Rams challenged Ball State, but eventually lost 11-1.

With only six hits, the Lady Rams only just the one run. The game was pitched by Labovick, Plimpton and Wiggins.

Fordham ended the two tournaments with a 10-4 record.

The team received national recognition through Mineau’s second Pitcher of the Week award in the Atlantic 10 this year and Jamie LaBovick’s win as Rookie of the Week. Also, for the first time in Fordham’s softball history, the team received a vote in USA Today’s Top 25 poll.

The Lady Rams will continue their season next weekend, March 13-14, at the Georgia Tech Tournament in Atlantic. The first home game will be on March 17 against Seton Hall at 3 p.m.