Weekday Scoreboard

Temple vs Army 3:30 PM West Point, N.Y. RAINED OUT

Temple vs Army 5:30 PM West Point, N.Y.

Boston College vs Massachusetts 3:00 PM Amherst, Mass.

Boston College vs Massachusetts 5:00 PM Amherst, Mass.

Southeast Missouri 5  Saint Louis 1

WP-Alora Marble  (14-6)  3-Hitter

LP-Kelcie Matesa  (11-9)

Saint Louis 3  Southeast Missouri 2

WP-Hannah Huebbe  (14-7)  8 K's

LP-Taylor Cowan  (5-7)

Fordham is back in the polls

Fordham just clinched its 2nd ever A10 Regular Season Title and the honors just seem to flowing out of the Bronx right now. Voters in the UCS Top 25 took notice of Fordham was again and the Rams received 2 votes in the poll. If the Rams can continue playing at such a high level we may be seeing them in the final poll at the end of the season.

And another great bit of news for Coach Orchard was the recent verbal of pitcher Morgan Eisenga of the Sorcerer Blue team from out in northern California. The Sorcerer organization is one of the best in the country and it looks like Coach Orchard really picked up a good one.

Team by team breakdowns of recruits will come this summer

If you have news on any other verbals or just any comments in general, please email, comment, tweet

atlantic10softball@gmail.com

Jen Mineau was named NFCA Co-Player of the Week and USA Softball Player of the Week

For Jen Mineau's outstanding week which saw her go 5-0 with 5 shutouts, a perfect game, and 49 SO, the NFCA has honored her by naming her its national co-Player of the week. This is the second time Mineau has been honored by the NFCA in her career and it is nice to see more recognition for Mineau, Fordham, and the A10 as a conference.

Jen Mineau

Mineau was 5-0 last week and allowed no runs off of just 10 hits with only four walks and 49 strikeouts. She ended the week with a perfect 0.00 ERA, an opponent’s batting average of .093 and five shutouts. 
The crown jewel of Mineau’s week came in the Ram’s second game against Saint Peter’s when she tossed the fourth perfect game of her career to bring her career total of no-hitters to seven. For the week, the Schaghticoke, N.Y., native notched three 10-plus strikeout performances and tallied a strikeout to walk ratio of 12:1. 
For the year, Mineau has a record of 20-7 with a 1.37 ERA and 241 strikeouts. After going 6-0 last week, the Rams (38-17) claimed the 2011 Atlantic 10 regular-season title with a league record of 16-4 and secured the top-seed and a first-round by in next weekend’s conference tournament. 

Still waiting on USA Softball...

And Jen Mineau receives the honor from USA Softball as well! After their glaring omission of Sara Plourde earlier in the year it is nice to see that they got this one right. Hopefully we will be seeing Mineau's name in another USA Softball release in a few weeks. Here are the highlights from this article:

 The Amateur Softball Association (ASA) of America and USA Softball announced today that Fordham's Jen Mineau (Schaghticoke, N.Y.) has been named the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Week for the week of April 25-May 1. Mineau led Fordham to a 7-0 record on the week, throwing 33.0 innings of scoreless softball.In a week that saw the Rams go a perfect 7-0 and clinch the 2011 regular season Atlantic 10 conference title, Mineau started and completed five of the seven contests. She posted a 0.00 ERA while striking out 49 batters and walking just four. She posted a 12-1 strikeout to walk ratio in Week 12.“It was gratifying to be successful and help the team capture the regular season title. It's an honor to be recognized for my efforts,” said Mineau. The highlight of her week came when she tossed a perfect game against St. Peter's on April 27. In the 9-0 Fordham win, Mineau fanned 12 of 15 batters faced, and didn't let a ball leave the infield."Jen was a difference maker this past week. She dominated on the mound and helped us win the regular season title,” said Fordham Head Coach Bridget Orchard. “She is deserving of the award. The tougher competition got, the tougher she got."She was also named the Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Week for her efforts. This is the first-time Mineau has been honored as the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Week.

Seniors: St. Bonaventure

This is the 1st in a series of posts about the seniors of each team recognizing their contributions to their team

Kara Morenus

Kara Morenus C/3B: after starting her career as the Bonnies' catcher, Morenus has made a successful transition to 3rd base, while also serving as the Bonnies' second catcher. Just like many of her teammates, Morenus had one of her top seasons in 2011. Coach Threehouse relied on Morenus as one of his senior leaders and she has been an absolute fixture in the heart of the Bonnies' order. Morenus has been reliable and consistent for the Bonnies and she has had some big moments in her career including, being named to the Atlantic 10 All Rookie Team. One of the best weekend's of Morenus' career came this season when St. Bonaventure traveled down to East Tennessee State for a weekend tournament. In a two game stretch against North Carolina A&T and East Tennessee State, Morenus went 4-7 with 2 HR and 3 RBI and she scored 4 runs. Morenus was a steady performer for the Bonnies and she will be missed.

Maureen Wells

Maureen Wells 1B: after being a steady defensive presence in her first three seasons at St. Bonaventure, Wells really elevated her game to a whole new level in her final campaign. The Bonnies have experienced an offensive power explosion this season and Maureen Wells has been at the forefront of it. Wells set career highs in almost every offensive category, but the power numbers have been truly outstanding. Wells led the Bonnies' offense during conference play and it seemed as though she came through in every big RBI situation for her squad. Of the 26 RBI that she has on the year 23 have come in conference play, which is an outstanding figure. The Bonnies are really going to miss Wells' bat and the leadership that she provides.

Graham Hays shows the A10 some love

Hays' latest piece really looks all around the nation and the Atlantic 10 got a few mentions.

Lauren Nacke

Lauren Nacke and Dayton:

Dayton's Lauren Nacke made the most of senior day on Sunday, hitting her 17th home run of the season to extend her single-season program record. She also owns the career record with 34 home runs. The twist? She's just a junior. The Flyers also used the weekend to clinch a spot in the Atlantic 10 tournament for the first time since 2000.

Fordham is in a solid position for an at-large bid:

Jen Mineau

If you prefer your postseason sleepers come equipped with the potential for dominant pitching, it might be time to take another look at Fordham. The Rams swept four games over the weekend, including two games at rival Massachusetts, to clinch the Atlantic 10 regular-season title and the top seed in the upcoming conference tournament in Charlotte. How they did it is equally noteworthy, as Jen Mineau threw back-to-back shutouts against Minutewomen ace Sara Plourde, including a 12-strikeout, four-hitter in the second game of the series. Slowed noticeably early in the season by a stress fracture in her foot, Mineau is 9-3 with a 1.27 ERA and 122 strikeouts against nine walks in 77.1 innings in conference play. Thanks to a brutal early schedule, Fordham is in good shape for an at-large bid, even if it falls in Charlotte, and if it plays close to home in a regional (at, say, Hofstra or Maryland), it would be a tough out. 

News and video

UMass-La Salle game 1

Tenaya Tucker has been on a power trip this season

Sam Bedore is making progress at URI

Plourde's perfect game completes sweep over La Salle

Matthew leading in nine-hole for UMass

Atlantic 10 Standings

xyz-Fordham               16-4
x-St. Joseph's               9-3
x-UMass                     12-5
x-Temple                    12-6
x-Charlotte                  9-5
x-Dayton                    10-7

St. Louis                    10-8
St. Bonaventure          8-12
George Washington    5-13
Rhode Island             2-14
La Salle                     1-13

x-clinched a spot in the A10 tournament
y-clinched a 1st round bye
z-clinched the top seed

Only UMass, Rhode Island, La Salle, and George Washington have conference games remaining

Postseason Awards Preview: Atlantic 10 Player of the Year

The contenders:

Jocelyn Dearborn

Jocelyn Dearborn: she is just a stud with one of the most powerful bats in the entire conference, as well as having a cannon of an arm at 3rd base, Dearborn is just a force to be reckoned with. She is a strong athlete who really leaves it all out on the field. She does not get cheated out of her at-bats and she goes up to the plate ready to crush the ball. Dearborn hits for both power and average while also being a threat to steal bases as well, she is just all in all a well rounded softball player. She has also improved on her number each year at Fordham and you can tell that she has put in the work on and off the field to make herself a better player. Dearborn will likely go down as the best player in Fordham history and she has been a big part of why Fordham has risen to national prominence.

Lauren Nacke

Lauren Nacke: after opening her career with two good campaigns, she has elevated her game to a whole new level. She has always been known for her power, but this year she has really put it all together, hitting for both power and average. Nacke has set Dayton records in single season and career HR, as well as RBI. She has been hitting around .400 this year and over 40% of her hits have gone for extra bases. In conference play, Nacke's number have been staggering, as she has launched 10 HR in 19 games. Those numbers are unreal and if the A10 has a good website, we could find out if that is a record for conference play. Either way these numbers are out of this world. In addition to the 10 HR and 28 RBI that she has put up, she has hit at a .481 clip. When Dayton needed her bat the most she delivered and she is a big reason why the Flyers have returned to the A10 tournament for the 1st time since 2000. Whether Nacke wins the Player of the Year award or not, teams are going to pitch to Nacke very carefully down in Charlotte.

Tenaya Tucker

Tenaya Tucker: she started fast in February and she hasn't cooled down since then. Tucker has been steady all season long for Coach DeVos and when games have been on the line she has come through for Charlotte. Tucker hits for average and power and she has tied the Charlotte single season HR total. Tucker is also very productive as she rarely strikes out. Another impressive aspect of Tucker's game is her defense, as she has thrown out 30 of 49 runners who have tried to steal against her, which is a downright impressive percentage. She is also calls the pitches for the 49ers and I think she is a big reason why Katy Hackett has had such a successful senior season. Tucker has hit over .400 in conference play and she has led this squad to one of its best offensive seasons. Much like some of the other players listed here, when games have been on the line teams are choosing to pitch around Tucker. Tucker has had an outstanding senior year and it will be interesting to see what she can do in the A10 tournament.

Monica Aguilar

Monica Aguilar: when the Hawks get their lefty speedsters on base Aguilar has been there to drive them in. Aguilar just gets the job done and she has the 38 RBI to show for it. That is an average of right around one per game and she has driven in about a quarter of St. Joseph's runs this season. Aguilar has a powerful bat, as she leads the Hawks in HR, but an underrated part of her game is her speed. Aguilar has shown the ability to take a base when she needs and she is the perfect player for the way St. Joseph's plays softball. The Hawks play station by station softball and when they execute Monica Aguilar is at the plate with runners in scoring position. Aguilar rarely strikes out and she has a very good eye at the plate and whatever the situation seems to be, she gets the job done. The Hawks are going to be looking to her clutch, powerful, bat in important situations at the A10 tournament and it will be interesting to see if she can deliver.

Postseason Awards Preview: Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Year

Erin Gallagher

The contenders:

Erin Gallagher: known for her outstanding drop and changeup, Gallagher has been a force again this year for the Hawks. Gallagher has kept the Hawks in just about every game that she has pitched in. Gallagher does not put up the dominating strikeout totals that Sara Plourde and Jen Mineau put up, but she keeps the Rams in every game and her ERA is right on par with her fellow Juniors. Gallagher also keeps the ball in the ballpark which is very important, especially heading into postseason play. Gallagher gives her team a chance to make plays and that is all you can ask from your pitcher. Gallagher gets the job done and that's why she has a shot at winning A10 pitcher of the year.

Katy Hackett

Katy Hackett: after being in the shadow of Emily Jeffery the past two seasons, Katy Hackett has really emerged as the go to pitcher for the 49ers this year. She has had an underrated career for the 49ers and it is worth noting that she pitched Charlotte to the 2008 Atlantic 10 Championship game when the tournament was last in the Queen City. Hackett does not have the velocity or dominating movement that some of the other pitchers here do, but she is a real gamer in every sense of the word. She battles with hitters relying on location as well as mixing up speeds. Charlotte has also shown that they are very confident with her out in the circle. Hackett gives Charlotte an ace that can go toe to toe with any other pitcher in the conference.

Kristen Marris

Kristen Marris: one of the most versatile players in A10: she has really taken her game to a whole other level in 2011. Marris has almost single handedly pitched Temple to the A10 tournament. Every time Coach DiPietro needed a win he sent Marris to the circle and more often than not, she delivered. Marris uses her full array of pitches, but I think that her biggest strength lies with moving the ball vertically and by changing speeds. Marris finds a way to get outs and as a result she keeps her team in the game. It will be interesting to see how far she will be able to carry her team in the A10 tournament.

Jen Mineau

Jen Mineau: after dealing with an early season injury, Mineau has really rounded into form the past couple weeks and I think she looks as good as she ever has. I have been really impressed with the way she is starting to work the lower part of the strike zone with her drop ball and she has even been mixing in a few more changeups. Fordham needs her down this stretch run and she has delivered and the way she is pitching right now I'm not sure she can be beat. Mineau has the perfect combination of movement, speed, and pinpoint accuracy not to mention her swagger in the circle. She is pitching with all of the confidence in the world right now and her team is feeding that and putting runs on the board for her.

Sara Plourde: is one of the most dominating pitchers that the conference has ever seen, while also seeing an extraordinary amount of work over the past two years. She has not been as lights as she was last year, but she may be an even better pitcher and her health seems to be much better. Plourde's curve and rise are dominating pitches, but I think the key to her success lies in her drop and change. Plourde has already recorded her 1000th career strikeout and she still has her senior season ahead of her. If all of Plourde's pitches are moving she makes UMass extremely dangerous. She is the one player who can change the complexion of the A10 tournament depending on the way she is throwing.

Sara Plourde

Postseason Awards Preview: Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year REVISED

Terri Adams: in just a few short years Coach Adams has taken this program to new heights and this year she had the Hawks in the mix once again. The Hawks have been hurt by bad weather, but if not for that they might be on top of the conference. She has really turned around this program and you can really see it in the mentality of her teams. St. Joseph's does not have all of the resources that other teams do, but their fight and will to succeed is unmatched. Under her guidance, the Hawks have started playing with some real swagger and they do not back down from anyone.

Aimee DeVos: I must say I was a little skeptical of Charlotte coming into this season, but as I have learned you can never count out Charlotte. Coach DeVos has instilled a mental toughness in her squad which has carried through in long extra inning battles and brutal playing conditions. Her squad has a never say die attitude and they find a way win when their backs are against the wall. She didn't have Emily Jeffery's lights out pitching this year, but the 49ers found a way to win. If there is one thing you can say about this squad they play fundamental softball and they come ready to play each time out.

Joe DiPietro: This year has been a long time coming for Coach DiPietro, after so many years of finishing just short of advancing to the conference tournament, both at La Salle and Temple he has finally broken through this year. Ever since its first game of the year, which saw Temple fall just short against Missouri, this team has believed. The Owls played a tough non conference schedule and that really prepared this squad for A10 play.  Coach DiPietro has gotten his squad to swing the bats this year and they have been a force at the plate. Temple is just going out and taking care of business making their coach a very happy man. This year all the stars have aligned for Coach DiPietro and he may even get a Coach of the Year award out of it.

Cara LaPlaca: Dayton has been in a postseason drought for a long time and this year things finally seemed to go right for the Flyers. This squad has benefited from a solid freshman class and some outstanding power hitting. Coach LaPlaca stepped up the schedule for her team and seeing good pitching early seems to be paying off for her team. She has her team right in the hunt headed into the final week and that is a big step in the right direction. She is really laying a solid foundation for the program moving forward. If Coach LaPlaca makes it down to Charlotte she may come back with this award.


Bridget Orchard: I was not sold on Coach Orchard as a candidate for this award until this weekend, which saw Fordham go to UMass and they pulled off the first ever sweep of UMass at the UMass Softball Complex. This weekend Fordham finally played up to its potential and they looked like the team that earned an at-large bid last year. This team has underachieved for most of this 2011 season, but Coach Orchard has this squad rounding into form at the right time. Fordham will now head into the Atlantic 10 tournament as the top seed and the favorite for the at-large bid.
Elaine Sortino: after losing seven seniors to graduation and last year Co-Player of the Year, Coach Sortino has her squad right in the mix once again. UMass played an extremely difficult schedule in non conference play, which contributed to an 8 game losing streak. She found a way to get her team through that rough stretch and they have really raised their game to another level in April. Some may question whether she should win another Coach of the Year award, but this may be the best coaching job of her career.

Sunday Live Chat

Sunday Results

Massachusetts 9  La Salle 2

WP-Sara Plourde  (22-13)  2-Hitter  18 K's

LP-DJ Guinn  (2-14)

Massachusetts 8  La Salle 0   (6 inn)

WP-Sara Plourde  (23-13)  Perfect Game  8 K's

LP-Laura McCreesh  (1-8)

Fordham 9  Rhode Island 3

WP-Chelsea Plimpton  (17-10)

LP-Cassie Basker  (0-5)

Fordham 6  Rhode Island 0

WP-Jen Mineau  (20-7)  2-Hitter  8 K's

LP-Sam Bedore  (4-11)

St. Bonaventure 4  Temple 3

WP-Jen Sansano  (8-6)

LP-Kristen Marris  (14-10)

Temple 6  St. Bonaventure 3

WP-Kisten Marris  (15-9)  10 K's

LP-Diana Phalon  (4-9)