The Fordham University softball team went from one extreme to the other, winning ten consecutive games and then losing seven straight, three of which came this past week versus the Long Island University (LIU) Sharks and the University of Dayton Flyers. Luckily for the Rams, they broke this streak and prevented a sweep by Dayton with an Atlantic 10 win this past Saturday.
A midweek loss against Long Island University (LIU) saw the Rams’ struggles continue, as they plated just two runs. LIU jumped to an early 1-0 lead in the first on a triple and wild pitch. The Rams responded in the bottom of the inning with a solo home run by senior Sydney Wells to tie the game. Fordham took the lead in the third when Sophomore Mikayla Swan and Wells reached on a pair of singles before junior Kate McGuire knocked in a run on a ball up the middle.
In the circle for the Rams, sophomore pitcher Olivia Simcoe could not hold down the lead, allowing a two-run homer to the Sharks. Simcoe made it through four innings; the sophomore loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the fifth before freshman Elizabeth Gaisior relieved her. LIU plated two in the inning. Fordham did not see much offensive production the remainder of the game, but LIU tacked on two more in the sixth to bring the final score to 7-2.
On the road against A-10 opponent Dayton, the Rams lost their first game of the series on Friday, 10-5. Dayton scored all of its runs over the first two innings. Two errors by Fordham and four hits by the Flyers allowed the home team to post six in the bottom of the first. Junior Holly Beeman got the start for the Rams. She was knocked out of the game with just one out in the second inning and replaced with freshman pitcher Victoria Klimaszewski. Dayton added four runs on two hits and one error in the inning.
Fordham answered back with three runs in the top of the third. Senior Mallory McClellan reached first on a single and moved to third on a batted ball by senior Allie Clark, which resulted in an error. Junior Neleh Nogay hit a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring McClellan. Wells capped off the inning with a two-run home run to center field, shrinking the Flyers’ lead to 10-3.
The Rams added two more in the sixth on another two-run shot by Wells, cementing the score at 10-5. Beeman earned her sixth loss of the season, throwing just one and a third innings, allowing eight runs (only four earned), four hits and one walk. Klimaszewski was strong in relief, allowing just one earned run on five hits with two walks and three strikeouts over four and two-thirds innings.
The A-10 opponents began the second game of their series on Friday evening, playing three innings before suspending play due to darkness. Fordham scored one in the top of the first on a pair of singles by Nogay and Wells. Dayton took control of the lead, though, in the bottom of the second on a two-run homer off Klimaszewski, who started game two. The Flyers tagged on another run on a second home run in the third.
When the middle game of the series resumed on Saturday morning, Klimaszewski continued in the circle for the Rams. She did not last long, loading the bases with no outs. Gaisior entered for Fordham hoping to do damage control, but an error, walk and two singles allowed Dayton to score four, extending their lead to 7-1.
The four-run fourth for the Flyers capped off both teams’ offense. Klimaszewski took the loss, her second on the season, allowing six runs (three earned) on six hits and two walks. Gaisior was strong out of the bullpen, allowing one unearned run, two hits and two walks to pair with two strikeouts. Two errors in the Rams’ infield were costly in the fourth, but the team’s lack of offensive production did not help their cause.
The series finale was a complete turnaround from games one and two, with Fordham earning an 8-0 mercy-rule victory to snap their seven-game losing streak. The Rams were hot out of the gate, scoring two in each of the first three innings. In the first, Wells started the offense with a solo home run. Juniors Nicki Sudall, Eva Koratsis and McGuire strung together a single, walk and error to produce the second run. Senior pitcher Emilee Watkins almost got into trouble in the bottom of the frame, allowing a hit and two walks. She worked out of the jam with a strikeout to end the inning.
Fordham walked, singled then walked again to load the bases in the second. With two outs, Koratsis dug in at the plate and notched a two-run single up the middle to extend the team’s lead to 4-0. The next inning, Clark reached on a double then advanced to third on a pass ball. Swan kept things going with a walk and stolen base to put two runs in scoring position for Nogay. The lefty dropped a single into left field, allowing both runners to score.
Wells ended the scoring with her second home run of the game in the top of the fifth, securing the Rams’ mercy-rule, 8-0 win. While a rejuvenated offense was key for Fordham, Watkins’ performance in the circle was stellar. After the first inning — when she allowed two walks and one hit — only one Flyer reached base the rest of the game. Watkins collected a season-high six strikeouts over five innings. The senior improved to 7-6 on the season.
The Rams’ leadoff and two-spot hitters continue to be a power duo. Nogay leads the team in batting average (.383), hits (64), and stolen bases (39). Her 39 swiped bags on the year makes her the single-season leader in stolen bases in program history — an honor she earned in a game versus George Mason University on April 13. She is also just ten shy of topping the Rams’ all-time stolen bases list, a feat she will surely accomplish before her career at Fordham is complete. Nationally, Nogay ranked third with 38 bags going into the weekend.
With Nogay in front of her, Wells finds numerous opportunities to knock runs in. She sits at 41 runs batted in (RBIs) on the season with 14 home runs. Wells went 5-for-8 with eight RBIs and four home runs in 24 hours against Dayton.
Climbing closer to .500, the Rams improved to a 22-23 overall record and 12-8 in conference play, tying George Washington University for fourth in A-10 standings. Fordham will take on the eighth-place University of Massachusetts Minutewomen in their final series in the Bronx starting Saturday, April 26.
