It was two games and two losses to Fordham for the Massachusetts softball team on Saturday’s doubleheader. The Minutewomen’s performance improved in the second matchup, but Fordham’s offense was too much for them to handle and they couldn’t generate any offense of their own.

“I think we played a little bit more scared,” UMass (10-19, 3-4 Atlantic 10) head coach Danielle Henderson said. “We were looking for walks instead of attacking the pitches that we needed to. Defensively we didn’t have that great of an outing, [gave them] too many opportunities and then they would hit the long ball.”

In the second game, the Minutewomen outhit the the Rams (14-14, 6-4 A-10) 8-5, but unlike their opponents, couldn’t convert runners to runs and lost 7-2.

“We had more intent that game,” UMass shortstop Kendra Allen said. “We weren’t going to battle down, we weren’t going to let up anything, and you got runners on where we need to be and I just told everybody, ‘You need to stay gritty,’ I think that’s helped me with my one at bat where I scored a run.”

Despite outhitting their rivals, the Minutewomen left 10 runners on base in the second game, compared to the Rams’ two. Fordham’s offense was a well-oiled machine all day. According to Allen, they need to do the little things right if they are to avoid that and take advantage of their opportunities.

“Maybe playing more small ball, … staying in the box a little bit more, making the pitchers throw more pitches. But yeah, just staying gritty,” Allen said.

Falling behind in the early innings cost the Minutewomen both games. In the top of the first of the first game, Fordham’s Brianna Pinto was driven in by Allie Clark on a sacrifice fly to right field, and in the following at bat, Rachel Hubertus hit a homerun to left center to make it 2-0.

After UMass failed to score in the bottom of the first, it allowed another homerun in the top of the second. In the bottom of the second, UMass got its first hit of the day as, spoiler alert, Devon Miller pitched a no-hitter in the first game.

The third inning was no different, with the Minutewomen allowing another homer to go down 5-0.

Then, in a momentum decider, Kendra Allen was at bat with the bases loaded, two outs and a full count. She kept the Minutewomen’s hopes alive with an infield single, allowing Emily Whelan to score UMass’ first run of the doubleheader. However, in the next at bat Sarah Keagy struck out in three pitches and UMass’ biggest chance ended.

The Minutewomen scored two runs to stay in the game but a Bailey Enoch home run on a full count with two outs and a runner on second made it a 7-2 game. It was Enoch’s third homerun of the doubleheader.

In the first game of the day, the Minutewomen couldn’t get the ball rolling at all on offense, thanks to a stellar performance from Miller who tossed the fourth no-hitter of her career.

“[Miller] was just moving up a little bit more in the box [on the mound],” Allen said. “A lot of us knew we wanted to attack early, and she still threw the strikes in hard to us, and I think she had an up spin with her pitch. So, we were kind of just getting under it a little.”

Along with not generating offense, UMass failed to stop Fordham’s batters with freshman pitcher Julianne Bolton in the mound. Bolton was coming off a solid game against Maine but couldn’t keep the momentum and allowed three hits in the first inning, including a grand slam by Enoch.

The Minutewomen dug a hole they couldn’t climb out of, as in the following inning Hubertus hit a 3-run homer to left center field. In the end, Enoch finished the weekend with three homerun’s and Hubertus with two, both helping Fordham to mercy rule UMass in the first game 9-0 and completed the sweep with a 7-2 win in the second.

“I think we have more battle in us, so that was just a little disappointing,” UMass head coach Henderson said. “I’ve seen us play better and I’d like to see that tomorrow.”

The Minutewomen will host the Rams again on Sunday at noon to cap off the weekend series.

Pedro Gray Soares can be reached at [email protected] and followed on Twitter @P_GraySoares