2008 Woodie Awards
Softball: Maroon and White ace fouth-seeded Fordham
Jeremy Rice, Collegian Staff
Issue date: 5/8/08 Section: Sports
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Fordham (1-0) defeated Saint Joseph's, 1-0, yesterday in Game 1 of the Atlantic 10 Tournament, riding a complete game shutout by Allison Twarowski (four hits, five strikeouts, no walks).
Twarowski outdueled Hawks pitcher Dani Gonzales, who ranked sixth and third, respectively, in the conference in earned-run average this season, but the Rams' ace will meet a greater challenge today in reigning three-time A-10 Pitcher of the Year, Brandice Balschmiter, who sports the nation's best ERA at 0.53.
The two teams have not met since the first weekend of A-10 play. UMass swept the series, as it did the rest of its conference slate, 4-2 and 1-0 on March 20. Twarowski pitched 6 1/3 innings in Game 1, giving up four runs, three earned, on 10 hits and four walks. She also had three strikeouts.
Balschmiter did not have her best stuff in that game, allowing two earned runs on four hits and a walk while striking out six.
Fordham utilizes two other pitchers, sophomore Nicole Ayers (10-8, 4.37 ERA) and freshman Beckah Wiggins (12-11, 3.21). Ayers actually saw the most playing time, leading her team with 24 starts and 40 appearances overall, but it is Twarowski that has become the team's workhorse down the stretch.
For the Minutewomen, the biggest question will be how UMass coach Elaine Sortino utilizes sophomore hurler Bailey Sanders. Over the last two seasons, Balschmiter has started every postseason game for her team, registering a 12-4 record.
Sortino, however, has stressed all year that she likes the contrast in pitching styles between Balschmiter's powerful fastball and Sanders' rise-ball and drop-ball, and will likely not hesitate to use in Sanders in key spots.
"Obviously, Brandice is going to be the horse that we put out there first," Sortino said. "She's done very, very well against this particular field of opponents, and we have the luxury of having Bailey if we need to change it up. That's the way I'm approaching it."
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