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| Michele Daubman (photo by Tom Wasiczko) |
Pitching
The Rams roll four deep in the circle and have the best staff in the conference. Atlantic 10 Co-Pitcher of the Year Michele Daubman returns after a very good 2014 season. Daubman went 18-11 with a 3.73 ERA with 72 strikeouts in 161.2 innings against just 28 walks. Daubman is as steady as they come and she figures to have an even better senior campaign. Southpaw Rachel Gillen is also back in the circle. Gillen had an inconsistent 2014, which is understandable given that it was her first time throwing in two years. She could be a force in 2015 for the Rams, as she showed signs of brilliance in 2014, keeping Oregon's touted offense in check for six innings. Fordham's relief specialist Patti Maloney is also back. Maloney did not start a single game in 2014, but went 5-1 out of the bullpen with 6 saves and a 3.19 ERA. Maloney has excelled in this relief role and Coach Bridget Orchard will look to her once again. Lauren Quense had a solid freshman campaign going 5-4 with a 3.32 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 82.1 innings. Fordham's pitching staff is built for the new conference format and with this staff the Rams are the prohibitive favorites in 2015.
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| Stephanie Ferri (photo by Tom Wasiczko) |
Catching
Four year starter Gabby Luety has graduated, so Coach Orchard will be looking to someone new to call the pitches and hold down the fort behind the plate. Ally Vergona and Stephanie Ferri figure to compete for the starting role. If need be, Kayla Lombardo could also move behind the plate.
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| Madison Shaw (photo by Tom Wasiczko) |
Infield
Fordham's infield and offensive anchor, Elise Fortier has graduated. The good news for Fordham is that Kayla Lombardo is back to anchor the hot corner and Amy Van Hoven is back at second base. Lombardo had a very solid junior campaign, as she hit .313 with 50 hits, 10 HR, 35 RBI, and 3 steals. Lombardo got off to a slow start in 2014, but she really kicked into gear in the second half of the season. Van Hoven is back after a very productive freshman season. She is a key table setter for the Rams and does an excellent job of getting on base, making it difficult for opposing pitchers to pitch around the big guns in the Fordham lineup. In 2014, she hit .367 with 61 hits, 0 HR, 9 RBI, and 2 steals. Without Luety and Fortier's long balls, Van Hoven could be let loose on the bases more to show off her speed. The Rams have a number of different athletes who could play shortstop, including Lindsay Mayer and Allie Bradian. The UVA transfer swings a great bat and more importantly she is stout defensively with a cannon of an arm. The former travel ball teammate of Fortier is going to fit right in on the Rams. The final spot up for grabs is first base and while there are some talented contenders, Madison Shaw is just too talented not to land the starting nod. Shaw swings a monster bat that opposing pitchers are not going to enjoy facing. Shaw will end up with a double digit home run total in 2015. She is that good. Lauren Quense and Paige Ortiz should also see some time at first.
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| Sydney Canessa (photo by Tom Wasiczko) |
Outfield
Fordham brings back its outfield from 2014 and adds even more talent. Sydney Canessa is back after a stellar freshman season to patrol centerfield once again. Canessa was the leadoff hitter for the Rams, hitting .309 with 54 hits, 6 HR, 28 RBI, and 4 steals. She also scored 48 runs, so that means scored a run almost 2/3 of the time she was on base. Brianna Turgeon, Cora Ianiro, and Michele Daubman also return in the outfield. Turgeon battled injuries in 2014, but still managed to play in 34 games and hit .256. If she can stay healthy, her offensive numbers should jump significantly. Ianiro was a pleasant surprise in 2014 and held down her spot in the outfield for most of the season, after serving as a pinch runner and pinch hitter for her first two seasons. She hit .291 with 34 hits and 10 RBI. Daubman saw time in the outfield when she wasn't in the circle and also did work at the plate. Daubman hit .238 with 38 hits, 6 HR, and 25 RBI. Rachel Gillen was also a mainstay in the outfield when she wasn't pitching. The Rams are not short on talent, however and Claudia Law figures to challenge for playing time after sitting out last year with an injury, not to mention speedy freshman Morgan Figueroa. In the end, it will come down to who gets it done at the plate. Coach Orchard is extremely deep in the outfield, which is definitely a problem she loves to have.
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| Paige Ortiz (photo by Tom Wasiczko) |
Designated Player
Paige Ortiz should once again hold down the designated player spot. Ortiz swings a mighty bat and she is poised for a breakout year. Last year, she hit .217 with 33 hits, 6 HR, and 23 RBI. 2014 was a bit of a down year for Ortiz, but she is more than capable of returning to her double digit home run form in 2015. Ortiz will definitely be challenged for playing time as the Rams are extremely deep.
Schedule
Coach Bridget Orchard has once again put together a daunting slate for the Rams in 2015. The Rams open up 2015 at the Kajikawa Classic and will face some decent competition, including Cal and Fresno State. Fordham can make a national statement if they can take care of business right away. After Arizona, the Rams will head down to the Sunshine State where the schedule will pick up at bit. Fordham will have challenging games on tap against Tennessee, USF, and Florida Gulf Coast. Following that, Fordham will head down to the Palmetto State to play against former pitching coach Kyle Jamieson's Furman Paladins and former Temple coach Joe DiPietro's Hampton squad. That weekend will be all about taking care of business. Fordham will then head down to Orlando for the Citrus Classic and will take on three Big Ten teams, including last year's conference champion Minnesota, as well as Georgia, and Georgetown. Finally, Fordham wraps up tournament play by traveling to NC State. Raleigh will be a tough weekend as the Rams will go up against the host Wolfpack, Missouri, Lipscomb, and perennial nonconference nemesis Longwood. The nonconference schedule up north is about as challenging as it could be. Fordham will square off against Northwestern, Hofstra, Syracuse, Iona, and St. John's. For conference play, the Rams will have tough trips to St. Louis and UMass, but the rest of the schedule is very manageable. Fordham will not play Rhode Island this year.
Outlook
If Coach Orchard can get her squad through nonconference play with a record above .500, this team should be poised for an at-large bid. This team has the pitching, hitting, and defense to make it happen. They are one of the biggest conference favorites in years, perhaps since the 2009 UMass squad. Fordham is poised for a dominating run through conference play and they have a chance to advance further than any Fordham team has before. This team is going to be fun to watch. Prediction: they will exceed last season's batting average, home runs, and steals. Watch out Yankees! There is a new dynasty in the Bronx!
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