ST. LOUIS – In a duel between a pair of standout pitchers, No. 4 seed Fordham defeated third-seeded Dayton on Friday morning, 4-1, advancing to Saturday’s Betterment Atlantic 10 Softball Championship game slated for 12 p.m. CT. The Rams reached the final for the second straight season.

Holly Beeman earned the win for Fordham, allowing just one earned run, three hits, and a walk in a seven-inning complete game. Dayton starter Izzy Kemp registered six strikeouts in five innings, limiting Fordham to one run and two hits during that stretch.

Fordham scored the first run of the defensive battle in the opening inning. Two Rams baserunners reached second and third with two outs, setting up an RBI single from senior Eva Koratsis.

Dayton had just one hit entering the sixth inning, but the Flyers needed only one more to tie things up. Junior Deirdre Flaherty launched a solo home run to center field, evening the game 1-1 entering the seventh.

Fordham responded with a three-run frame to take back control. Nicki Sudall was hit by a pitch with bases loaded to put Fordham in front, before freshman Sadira Forcucci hit a bloop single – bringing two more runs across home plate.

After giving up a leadoff single in the bottom of the seventh, Beeman steadied to force a groundout double play and a groundout to the shortstop to clinch the victory for Fordham.
The Flyers will play an elimination game at 3 p.m. CT against the winner of Friday’s matchup between No. 1 seed Loyola Chicago and No. 5 seed Saint Joseph’s.