The Fairleigh Dickinson University softball team fell to the Rams of Fordham in a double-header in Hackensack, NJ on Thursday, April 21. The Rams defeated the Knights, 8-0 and 18-0. With the setbacks the Knights fall to 22-19, while the Rams improve to 30-16 on the season.
A strong pitching performance from former All-American, Jen Mineau led the Rams to a two-hitter in Bergen County. While the Knights struggled to put the ball in play, the Rams recorded 11 hits in game one.
The windy conditions worked against the Knights, allowing for two homeruns through the first three batters, including a solo home-run by leadoff batter, Jocelyn Dearborn. A single and two doubles later in the inning scored three more runs to five the Rams a 5-0 lead after one inning.
The Knights held the Rams scoreless between the second and fourth inning but allowed another solo home-run in the fifth. An additional two runs in the sixth inning gave the Rams an 8-0 lead.
Mineau allowed just two hits through six innings, a single from freshman Maria Roney (Anacortes, WA/Anacortes) and a single from junior Kirsten Shreve (Kent, WA/Kentwood). Mineaux walked no one and struck out 15 batters to pick up her 15th win of the season.
Shreve was awarded the loss in game one after giving up five runs on five hits in the first inning. Maire Shaughnessy (Culpeper, Va./Highland) relieved Shreve on the mound. She walked one batter, struck out two and allowed six hits and three runs in five innings of work.
The Knights recorded six hits in game two but were unable to score through five innings. The Rams began game two with three runs in the first inning on two doubles and a walk.
The Rams recorded eight hits including five extra-base hits in the second inning. Three singles, two doubles and two homeruns gave Fordham an additional nine runs of leverage.
Sixteen hits from ten different batters enabled the Rams to increase their lead to 18 runs. With the large deficit the game was cut to just five innings.
The Knights were led by Roney, who went two-for-two, in the second game. Shreve added two hits in three at bats.
Caitlin Bradac (Garden Grove, CA/Garden Grove) pitched for the Knights. Although she allowed 16 hits in five innings, she also struck out seven batters and walked just four.
"It was a rough day," said Head Coach Dale Martin. "Anything that could go wrong did go wrong today. We need to make routine plays and stick with what we know how to do."
The Knights travel to Hamden, CT on Saturday, April 23 to take on a Northeast Conference leader, Quinnipiac University. The double-header is slated to begin at noon.
