LEADING OFF
Loyola Chicago (4-19, 0-0 A-10) travels to Fordham for the first Atlantic 10 series of the regular season. The Ramblers face off against the Rams in a doubleheader on Saturday, March 15 at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. CT before closing out with one more game on Sunday, March 16 at 11 a.m. CT.
QUICK HITS
- Sophomore utility Maddy Hickey had a career performance against Valparaiso and Buffalo on Saturday, March 8 at the Marshall March Madness tournament in West Virginia. Hickey recorded her first ever homer and a career-high six RBIs and three hits in the Ramblers' 11-4 victory over Valpo then notched another home run in the loss 4-2 loss to Buffalo.
- Hickey is the team leader in batting average (.600) and on-base percentage (.636) while Haley Wallace leads in hits with 21.
- In the bullpen, Andie Broniewicz leads with a 5.92 ERA through 47.1 innings pitched while Petyon Pepkowski is the strikeout leader, recording 52 through 65.1 innings.
- Rookie Alli Pawlowicz nailed two homeruns at the Oregon Classic in the Ramblers penultimate nonconference tournament. The first of her career came against Portland State on Feb. 28 after she crushed an inside-the-park homer then Pawlowicz launched a solo home run to open scoring at Oregon on March 2.
- Head coach Alicia Abbott clinched her 100th career win in the Maroon and Gold after Loyola defeated St. John's, 2-1, on Feb. 14 in walk-off fashion.
- After a tough nonconference tournament slate, the Ramblers' 4-19 start to the season is their worst under Abbott since opening the season 5-13 in 2021.
- Loyola tabbed No. 3 in the Atlantic 10 Preseason Poll, raking in 84 points, for its second straight season in the league's preseason top three.
SCOUTING REPORT
Fordham is 8-13 on the season heading into A-10 play and undefeated, 1-0, at home. The Rams, who are coming off a 9-1 run rule win over Hofstra, also secured victories against Charleston, New Mexico, Stephen F. Austin, St. Thomas, UNLV Boston University and Iona. Head coach Melissa Inouye enters her seventh season at the helm of the program with a 156-141-1 record at Fordham.
At bat, junior outfielder Neleh Nogay has a .360 average after starting in all 21 games and is the team leader in hits with 27 and in runs (15). Pitcher Holly Beeman leads the Rams in batting average (.677) and on-base percentage (.667) through just six games played. In the circle, Beeman stays at the top with a 1.28 ERA and a 4-2 record through 43.2 innings pitched. She's recorded a team-high 23 strikeouts this season and two shutouts.
SERIES HISTORY
Loyola leads the all-time series with Fordham 4-1. In the final week of the regular season last year, the Rams secured their first ever victory over the Ramblers, 5-1, in the second game of the doubleheader in Chicago. Loyola clinched the first and third games in that series after extra innings. Prior to, the Ramblers bested the Rams on the road, 10-6, in April 2023 and won the first meeting ever between the two programs, 5-1, in 1999.
FOLLOW THE ACTION
Stream the series on ESPN+ and follow softball on Instagram and Twitter/X @RamblersSB for in-game updates.
