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Softball
Softball sweeps Fordham to push winning streak to four
April 13, 2008
Final Stats - Game One
BRONX, N.Y. - Behind a dominating display in the circle combined with a timely hit at the dish all from sophomore pitcher Sherri Thompson, the St. Bonaventure softball team notched its second straight Atlantic 10 Conference sweep with a pair of victories over Fordham earlier this afternoon on Bahoshy Field at Houlihan Park. Thompson twirled her third consecutive complete game shutout in game one as she allowed just two Fordham hits en route to a 1-0 triumph to begin the day. The second-year ace went the distance on the mound in game two as well, but it was her seventh inning three-run homer to center field that clinched the club's 4-2 win and the series sweep. Following their second straight and third conference sweep of the season, the Bonnies improved to 12-14 overall and 7-3 in the league. The Brown and White's seven victories in A-10 action match the program's third highest win total since joining the conference in 1988. The 2006 edition of the Bonnies hold the all-time school mark with 14 A-10 wins. In spite of the recent Bona struggles at the plate, Thompson has guided the Bonnies to a season-high four game winning streak. The Ulysses, Pa. native has been on the mound in each of the club's victories during the streak, while surrendering a combined 13 hits with three shutouts over her last four starts. Thompson moves to 10-6 on the season and into fourth place in the Bona record books with 17 career wins. She conceded only eight hits this afternoon with a two-hitter in game one, while striking out 10 Ram's batters in 14 innings of work. Early offense was all the Bonnies needed to open the day with a win as the club's second inning run was enough to clinch the game one victory. Freshman Kara Morenus led off the top of the second with her seventh walk of the season and quickly advanced to second following senior Kirstin Strong's ground out to the Fordham shortstop. With Morenus waiting in scoring position, sophomore Stephanie Narde smacked a single into centerfield that was enough to score Morenus from second base.
No one from either team crossed the plate in the remaining five innings as only three more balls were put into play. The Fordham bats went hitless through six frames until the pitcher Allison Twarowski singled through the right side to break-up Thompson's no-hitter. After issuing a leadoff walk in the second, Thompson retired 10 straight batters with four strikeouts in the same span. The Rams never advanced a runner past first base throughout game one.
Junior Kathryn Pazda opened the second contest with a walk and was advanced to second thanks to a sacrifice bunt from senior Andrea Swanger. Pazda rounded the bases towards home plate following a left field single from Morenus to gain an early 1-0 Bona advantage. St. Bonaventure's 1-0 lead lasted until the fourth frame when Allison Storc blasted a solo home run to right field to bust Thompson's shutout streak and to knot the score at 1-1. The Rams would eventually take their first lead of the day when Storc struck again in the sixth with a RBI single to bring Twarowski to the plate following a leadoff triple of her own to push Fordham in front 2-1 with an inning to play. Trailing by one entering their last at-bat, Narde sparked the top of the seventh with a leadoff single. Narde advanced to second and was joined on the base paths by freshman Maureen Wells who struck out swinging, but reached first on a fielding error. With runners on the corners and just one out, Thompson was sent to the dish to pinch hit for junior Ashley Kotz. In just her second at-bat this season and 21st of her career, Thompson blasted a three-run yard ball to center field to regain the lead for good at 4-2. Narde was the only Bonnie to record a hit in both games as the second-year shortstop finished 2-for-5 on the day with one RBI and one run scored. The Elmira, N.Y. native also extended her hitting streak to four games. Morenus also proved to be a threat at the plate of late with an RBI in three of the last four contests. After 26 straight games away from home to begin the season, the Brown and White return to action with their home debut on Tuesday, April 15 against Big 4 rival Buffalo. First pitch of the two-game set is slated for 3:00 p.m. at McGraw-Jennings Field. |
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