Softball wins road series at Fordham
By: Meaghan Mcnichol – Staff Writer
The Dayton Flyers softball team contributed to their winning record this weekend in the Bronx, New York, winning two out of three the games against the Fordham University Rams.
After a successful weekend at the Bahoshy Softball Complex, the Flyers now hold a 23-11 record, with seven wins and two losses in Atlantic 10 Conference play.
They kicked their weekend off Friday with their first game against Fordham.
After three scoreless innings, Fordham hit a three-run home run, leaving Dayton down 3-0.
The Flyers did not hit well, and could not match therun total of the Rams. With an overall batting average of .200, the team’s lone run off of a bases loaded walk.
Seven innings of play resulted in a 5-1 loss for the Flyers, but the weekend was far from over.
The team returned to Bashoshy Complex to take the Rams on in the doubleheader the following day.
Play began at 11 a.m., and the Rams scored the first run off a run-scoring double early in the first inning.
Despite the early deficit, the Flyers came back with vengeance in back-to-back innings.
Freshman infielder Kayla Haberstich put the Flyers on the board with a two-run single in the fourth inning.
Freshman catcher Kailee Bundicin hit a two-run double in the fifth inning, doubling the Flyers lead. The team continued to produce in the sixth inning when junior infielder Kirsten Bartlett added a run to the board.
Not only did the women produce while batting, but they also pitched extremely well.
Sophomore starting pitcher, Gabrielle Snyder only allowed one run, while freshman pitcher Manda Cash took over in the fifth inning and shut the Rams down in the three innings she pitched.
As a result, the Flyers turned the tables to come out on top with the 5-1 win mirroring the win the Rams got the night before. Both teams faced the third and final game with the same record, one win and one loss on the weekend.
The Flyers were triumphant in the second game of the double header, finishing the day with an 8-0 shutout.
Senior pitcher Kayla English led the team to their sixth shutout of the season.
The women were on fire in the second inning, scoring four runs. Junior infielder Kennedy Haynes hit a sacrifice fly to put the Flyers up 2-0.
The streak continued with a solo home run in the fifth by senior infielder Tiffany Ricks and a two-run sixth inning.
Overall, the women improved as the weekend went on. UD finished Friday’s game with a .200 batting average and crushed an average of .360 in their third game on Saturday.
The two wins earned head coach Cara LaPlaca her 300th career victory. Softball heads to Philadelphia, Pa. next weekend to face Saint Joseph’s University Saturday and Sunday.