The Fordham University softball team began postseason play with a win over the Saint Louis University Billikens at the 2007 Atlantic 10 Softball Championship in Amherst, Mass., on Thursday, May 10.
The 10-2 win improved Fordham’s record to 39-18, setting a new single season wins record and marking the 200th victory at Fordham for head coach Bridget Orchard. The Rams will continue championship play against the University of Rhode Island on Friday, May 11, at 5 p.m.
Nicole Ayres Photo by Vincent Dusovic
Earlier this week, the conference announced that freshman pitcher Nicole Ayres had been selected Softball Rookie of the Year in voting by A-10 head coaches. Junior catcher Allison Storc was selected to the First Team All-Atlantic 10 and four other Rams were named to the second team. In addition, junior infielder Allison Twarowski was named to the Academic All-Conference Team.
Earning second-team honors were Ayres and Twarowski along with sophomore outfielder Melissa Andrews and senior outfielder Krystle Henry. Additionally, Ayres was selected to the All-Rookie Team along with infielder Erin Fisher.
Ayres becomes the fourth Ram in the past five years to earn Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year honors. On the year, Ayres was 16-4 with a 2.03 ERA, leading the team in wins and striking out 133 batters in 131 innings. A three-time Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week and one-time Pitcher of the Week, she recorded three shutouts on the year, two in A-10 play, to go with one save and she held conference opponents to a .193 batting average. Her 16 wins on the year are the second most for a Fordham freshman.
Storc, a 2006 Second Team All-Atlantic 10 selection, is currently hitting .345 (6-174) with 12 doubles, nine home runs and 41 RBIs, all career highs. She leads the team in home runs and is second in RBIs while defensively, she has committed just three errors in 382 chances behind the plate and has thrown out 16 base runners to go with three pickoffs. In Atlantic 10 play this spring, Storc hit .354 (23-65) with five doubles, three home runs and 16 RBIs. Over her career, Storc ranks third in home runs (17) and fifth in RBIs (75).
Twarowski, who was named Second Team All-Atlantic 10 last spring, is batting at a .381 clip (69-181) with 14 doubles, three triples, seven home runs and 25 RBIs while swiping 16 bases. She leads the squad in average, hits, runs, doubles and triples and is second in home runs and third in stolen bases. Twarowski leads the Atlantic 10 in runs scored and total bases and is tied for the lead in hits while ranking second in doubles and third in average.
Andrews, a transfer to Fordham from Saint Peter’s College, is hitting .364 (60-165) on the year with five doubles, two triples, four home runs and 42 RBIs along with 20 stolen bass. She leads the squad in RBIs and stolen bases while ranking second in batting average and hits. In conference play, Andrews was the Rams’ leader in batting average, home runs, RBIs and stolen bases and she was named Atlantic 10 and ECAC Player of the Week once. She also leads the conference in stolen bases.
Henry, a 2006 First Team All-Atlantic 10 selection, is batting .327 (56-171) with 11 doubles, one triple, two home runs and 20 RBIs while also stealing 19 bases in 21 attempts. She hit .413 (26-63) in conference play with a .480 on-base percentage and .603 slugging percentage. Henry is tied for first on the team with 26 walks and she is second in runs and stolen bases. In Atlantic 10 play, Henry hit .413 (26-63) with four doubles, one triple, two home runs and 10 RBIs.
Fisher, one of the top freshmen in the league, is hitting .245 (36-147) on the year with ten doubles one triple, six home runs and 38 RBI and she has swiped six bases in seven attempts. She ranks third on the team in both home runs and RBIs and was named Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week twice this season.
