By ANTHONY PUCIK
The Rams returned to Florida once again after a very difficult tournament at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in California last weekend. This time, they were in Orlando, Fla. for the Diamond 9 College Citrus Classic, where they once again faced tough competition, going 2-4 on the weekend.
The team opened the Classic on Friday, Feb. 28, against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, the No. 23 ranked team in the country. The Fighting Irish got an early two-run lead in the first inning off Rams’ ace Michele Daubman, and tacked on another run in the third to make it 3-0. A two-run home run in the top of the fourth by Fordham’s Kayla Lombardo off starter Allie Rhodes cut the Ram’s deficit to one, but Notre Dame added another run in the bottom of the inning to make it a two-run lead. Elise Fortier’s RBI single brought the Rams back to within one in the top of the fifth, but Notre Dame scored three more in the bottom of the inning off Fordham reliever Rachel Gillen, and would win the game 7-3.
The Rams’ second game on Friday against the Ohio State Buckeyes turned into a pitcher’s duel between Fordham’s Lauren Quense and Ohio State’s Erika Leonard. Quense’s only mistake was surrendering an RBI double in the first inning to Leonard of the Buckeyes, but Leonard pitched a seven-inning, five-hit shutout. The Rams fell 1-0 to the Buckeyes.
Fordham’s tournament did not get easier, as it faced the number-one-ranked Florida Gators for its first game on Saturday, Mar. 1. Florida took a 1-0 lead in the first inning off an RBI single by Lauren Haeger off Fordham’s Gillen. Florida added two more runs in the top of the second and three more in the top of the fourth, increasing its lead to six. Fordham got two runs back in the bottom of the inning off a Daubman RBI bunt single and a sacrifice fly by Briana Turgeon, but a solo home run by Haeger and a two-run home run by Stephanie Tofft gave the Gators a 9-2 advantage, and the victory.
The Rams bounced back in their second game on Saturday against the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Omaha took the early lead on a two-run homerun by Allie Mathewson off Daubman in the top of the third inning. The Rams quickly answered in the bottom of the inning off RBI doubles by Fortier and Lombardo and an RBI single by Gabby Luety, which gave them the 3-2 lead. Fordham added three more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning when Paige Ortiz reached on an error, allowing Cailin Winkour to score and Amy Van Hoven hit a two RBI double. Daubman pitched a complete game, and the Rams picked up their first win of the tournament, 6-2.
Fordham extended its winning stretch on Sunday, Mar. 2 against the Syracuse Orange. The Orange scored the first run in the bottom of the second on a Corinne Ozanne solo homerun off Quense. which gave them the 1-0 lead. The Rams quickly responded in the top of the third. An RBI groundout by Lombardo and a wild pitch on a Daubman walk allowed Van Hoven to score and give Fordham the 2-1 advantage. That was all Quense needed to get from her offense, as she went on to pitch a three-hit complete game with seven strikeouts, and Fordham earned its second win of the tournament, 2-1. Quense also received Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Week Honors on Monday for her efforts in the tournament.
Fordham ended the tournament with a loss, however, falling to the Bradley University Braves 16-4 in five innings. The Braves put up a 10 spot in the second inning off Daubman and never really looked back from there. Fordham added one in the bottom of the inning off an RBI single by Turgeon, but Bradley then scored five more in the top of the third to make it a 14 run lead. A three RBI double from Quense in the bottom of the fourth cut into the lead a bit, but another run in the top of the fifth for Bradley gave them the 16-4 lead, and the win.
The Rams head back to Florida this weekend for the Under Armour Showcase. Their first game is against Providence College on Friday, Mar. 7.
