Softball Splits With Fordham, 5-0 and 6-5, in Atlantic 10 Action

Saturday, April 7

Ambler, Pa.

12 p.m.

Temple University

16-16, 4-3

Fordham

23-16, 9-0

Fordham

Temple University

Photo by: Mitchell Leff

Softball Splits With Fordham, 5-0 and 6-5, in Atlantic 10 Action

4.7.12 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Rams win opener with perfect game; Temple gets nightcap victory

AMBLER, Pa. – Meaghan Marley's 2-for-3 performance with a double and two runs batted in in game two of a doubleheader against visiting Fordham were critical in helping the Temple softball team salvage a split against the Atlantic 10 foe on Saturday afternoon at Ambler Field. The Owls lost the opener, 5-0, behind a perfect game from Jen Mineau, and won the nightcap, 6-5.

In game one, it was a scoreless affair heading into the third, when Fordham exploded for four hits and two runs. Jamie LaBovick led off with a double to right center, and one out later Paige Ortiz hit a ball to left field that would have gone out of the park if not for a strong wind keeping it in. What ended up as a double put runners on second and third, and Brianna Turgeon's ball to short drove in LaBovick. Elise Fortier followed with a single up the middle to plate Ortiz.

Two hits and a Temple error led to two more runs for the Rams in the top of the fourth. A Nicole Callahan single down the left field line drove in one and left runners on second and third. Two straight walks forced in another for Fordham and the squad took a 4-0 lead.

The Rams tacked on one more in the top of the sixth when Chelsea Palumbo's single to shortstop scored Ortiz, who had reached with a double to open the inning.

Fordham pitcher Jen Mineau was cruising along with the perfect game. Temple's best opportunity came in the bottom of the sixth when Julia Kastner sent a pitch up the middle, but Mineau proved she could field her position as well, snagging the ball and throwing to first to get the out.

Mineau struck out the side in the bottom of the seventh to end the game.

Capri Catalano (4-6) took the loss allowing 13 hits in 7.0 innings, four earned runs, four walks and five strikeouts.

Mineau improved to 18-8 on the season, throwing her fifth career perfect game and 10th no-hitter in the process. She faced the minimum 21 batters, striking out 15.

Fordham stuck with Mineau on the mound to open game two, and the Owls finally got to her in the second. Stephanie Pasquale led off the inning with a double to center field. After an out, Marley sent her own double to left center, swapping places with Pasquale. Julia Kastner stepped in and got another double, this one to right center, to drive in Marley for the 2-0 lead.

The Rams came right back in the top of the third to take over at 3-2. With two outs and a runner on, Callahan sent a shot over the right field fence to tie the game up. Ortiz followed with a solo homerun to left center, putting her squad ahead 3-2.

Two Fordham errors in the bottom of the frame allowed the host team to regain the lead again. Ali Robinson singled up the middle to lead off the inning. Sarah Prezioso then reached on an error to put runners on first and second with one out. Third baseman Elise Fortier chose to try to turn a double play at second on Pasquale's ball on the next play, but threw it into right center field, allowing Robinson and Prezioso to score to make it 4-3.

The visitors tied it up in the top of the fifth on a sacrifice fly from Ortiz.

In a game that continued to go back and forth, Temple took over again with two runs in the bottom of the fifth. It looked like the game would remain tied headed to the sixth after two quick outs to open the inning, but Prezioso singled to shortstop to keep the frame alive.

Another Fordham error on Pasquale's at bat put runners on first and second, and Rachel Knable came through in the clutch with an RBI single to right center. Marley followed with her second hit of the game, an RBI single to left field that drove in Pasquale from third, giving TU a 6-4 lead into the sixth.

Two walks and a single loaded the bases for the Rams in the top of the sixth, bringing up Ortiz, who had already homered once this game. Pitcher Brooklin White hit her with a pitch to force in a run, and head coach Joe DiPietro made a pitching change. Jessica Mahoney came in and got out of the inning with a pop up to second.

The Owls went down in order in the bottom of the sixth and needed just three outs to come away with the win. Mahoney struck out Palumbo to open it and got a ground out from Fortier for the second out. Gabby Luety stepped in and drove a pitch deep to left field, but again the wind played a factor, pulling the ball back in and Christina Sykora made a diving catch to end the game and help her team to a 6-5 win.

White (10-7) went 5.2 innings in the win, allowing five hits and striking out five. Mahoney picked up her second career save with 1.1 innings of work, striking out one. Mineau (18-9) pitched her second complete game of the day, allowing seven hits and fanning nine.

Temple steps out of conference play to travel to Penn State for a 3:30 p.m. doubleheader against the Nittany Lions on Wednesday, April 11.