The Fordham softball team sits in contention in the Atlantic 10 (A10) Conference, having won 10 of their last 15 games. Standing behind the team’s surging record is pitcher/infielder Jamie LaBovick, Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) ’13, who has managed a hit in each of the last 28 games. The streak is good enough to obliterate past school records in both baseball and softball, as the previous schoolwide mark stood at 21.

“I honestly didn’t even think it was that big of a deal until right before I broke the softball record,” LaBovick said. “The girls on my team said they were so nervous for me. For my last at bat, I was so excited when I got that hit. I didn’t think anyone else really kept count or anything. I definitely think it’s cool to have a mark on Fordham before I leave, but I’m always afraid I’m going to jinx it by talking about it.”

So far, no amount of talking about the accomplishment has done much to even slow down LaBovick’s unbelievable production. Her two most recent hits to extend the streak were both home runs laid down in each contest of Sunday’s double-header at Butler University. Despite her efforts, the team split the games, winning the early faceoff in a shutout. Given the team’s recent habit of splitting two and four-game stretches, LaBovick offered her thoughts on their chances going forward.

“We just really have to focus on getting in to the A10 tournament,” LaBovick said. “We’ve been kind of struggling; we keep splitting with teams. We’re playing well, but the little things aren’t going our way. I think that if we keep playing well, those things will start to fall our way.”

LaBovick’s talents aren’t limited to her work at the plate, either. Since the team’s best pitcher from last season, Jen Mineau, FCRH ’12, graduated, LaBovick has had to resume her once defining position on the mound. She has pitched nearly 100 innings for the Rams this year and is currently second on the team in wins.

“When I was in high school, I identified myself more as a pitcher, but when I got to Fordham, I didn’t need to pitch because we had Jen,” LaBovick said. “For the last couple of years, I saw myself as more of an offensive factor for the team, especially because I don’t think of first base as really that vital of a position.”

Despite leading the team in earned-run average, LaBovick offered only a sharing of the accolades when it came to the team’s success on defense. “Being able to pitch, since Jen’s graduating, I’ve been seeing myself as little more of a defensive player again, but as of late my arm’s been hurting and our other pitchers have really stepped up for us. We’ve had Michelle [Daubman, FCRH ’15] pitch really well, Patti [Maloney, FCRH ’16], our freshman, pitch really well and Taylor Pirone [FCRH ’15] pitch well.”

When asked about her earliest years playing softball, LaBovick traced her love of the game to a sisterly admiration. “I’ve been playing some form of softball since I was 6 or 7, whether it was tee ball or coach pitch. What really got me into softball, though, was my older sister, Jessica. She’s two years older than me, and whatever she did, I would try to do. After a while, I found I really enjoyed it, so I stuck with it. It’s gotten me this far.”

An Arizona native, the senior declared her intentions to return home after college, where she hopes to find marketing work with the local Major League Baseball club.

“I’m going back home, I’m pretty sure, but I haven’t had either the time or the energy to look for a job, so we’ll see after I graduate,” LaBovick said. “I’m going back to Arizona, where hopefully I’ll get a job in marketing. Working with the [Arizona] Diamondbacks would be cool, but I don’t know. Wherever Arizona takes me, I guess!”

The team’s next contests will come this weekend, as they face conference-rival Dayton at home. The two-game series kicks off an end of the year push for the top spot in the conference. Whether by her historically consistent work behind the plate or her team-leading performance on the mound, LaBovick figures to be a key part of this team’s run at an A10 title.