A combination of stellar Fordham offense and pitching helped the Rams shut out Iona, 6-0, for its fourth consecutive shutout on Tuesday afternoon.

Fordham (40-8, 12-2 Atlantic 10) proved once again why it is one of the premier softball teams in the country, as pitcher Jen Mineau led the team by hurling four strong innings, while giving up only one hit and striking out four against the Gaels (22-18).

Mineau improved her record to 27-5, and also has 400 strikeouts on the season.

The offense saw significant contributions from senior Erin Fisher, as she hit a three-run home run over the centerfield fence early on in the game, her 13th on the season. 

Junior Jocelyn Dearborn also had a good day offensively, as she went 2-for-4 with a run and a run batted in.

The win is the Rams’ fourth-straight shutout, and is also their 14th-straight win, as they remain a perfect 15-0 away from their home field. This season also marks the first time in program history when Fordham reached the 40-win plateau. The Rams are currently in third place in the A-10 standings, trailing only Charlotte and division-leading Massachusetts.

49ers close out home season with win

The Charlotte 49ers ended their 2010 season at home on a strong note, taking down UNC-Greensboro, 9-2, Tuesday afternoon.

The 49ers (35-13, 12-2 A-10) showed the rest of the Atlantic 10 why they deserve to hold on to the No. 2 seed, as they scored seven runs in the last two rain-drizzled innings against the Spartans.
The Spartans (23-24) were able to tie up the game at 1-1 in the third inning, but it all went down hill from there.

After taking a slim 2-1 lead in the bottom of the third, the 49ers racked up five runs in the fifth off a bases-loaded triple by Lorena Vela and a two-run shot by Natalyn Blanton.

Pitcher Emily Jeffery picked up her 25th complete game of the season, as she struck out 11 and improved her record to 19-8.

Serena Smith broke the school’s career RBI record and Jeffery broke the school’s career strikeout record.

Owls Shut out GW in double-header

The Temple Owls improved their status in the Atlantic 10 rankings as they completed a sweep against conference-rival George Washington with the help of Kristen Marris’ pitching performances.

The Owls (16-25, 5-7 A-10) moved up in the division rankings with their double-header wins against the Colonials (5-35, 2-14 A-10), who are still struggling to make it out of the bottom slot in the division.

Marris gave up three hits combined in both games against the Colonials. She improved her record on the year to 10-11 and solidified her spot as one of the most reliable hurlers in the Temple rotation, as she struck out a combined 10 batters on the day.

Though the Temple offense exploded in the first game, scoring 10 runs (three unearned) on seven hits, they were very much quieted in the second game, where they scored just four runs on five hits. 

The Owls will need more performances from their leaders in the last days of the season, especially in games against Atlantic 10 teams. Their playoff chances, though slimmer than they would like, are still alive if they can keep up their strong play down the stretch.

David Martin can be reached at [email protected].