Box Score March 21, 2008
Box Score
Bronx, N.Y. -
After being held to three hits in a 4-0 loss to St. Bonaventure on Thursday, the Fordham Rams were concerned about getting the bats going today, especially with the Bonnies starting a lefty. In the end, it wasn't a problem with the number of hits for Fordham, as the Rams banged out eleven hits, it was a matter of getting timely hits as the Rams left nine men on base, including the potential winning run in the eleventh, falling to St. Bonaventure, 3-2 in 12 innings in an Atlantic 10 game at Houlihan Park.
With the loss, the Rams fall to 10-7 overall, 0-2 in the Atlantic 10, while St. Bonaventure improves to 8-5 overall, 2-0 in the conference.
With the score tied at two, Randy Moley led off with a double, moved to third on an Anthony Randich sacrifice and scored on Brandon Salerno single.
P.J. Como opened the Fordham twelfth with a single but was quickly doubled up on a hit and run as Danny Leach popped out to short and Como was thrown out returning to first.
The Bonnies jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first as Kevin Suminski led off the game with a double, moved to third on a Jesse Bosnik sacrifice and scored on a single from Moley.
The Rams tied the game in the home half of the first when, with one out, Rich Goulian singled and advanced to second on a balk. Eric Reese then plated Goulian with a single to right center.
Fordham took a 2-1 lead in the fifth as the Rams loaded the bases with no outs on consecutive singles from Alex Kenny and P.J. Como and a bunt single from Danny Leach. Kenny then came in to score when Goulian grounded into a double play.
The Bonnies tied the game in the top of the sixth. Randich led off with a single that Fordham short stop Goulian lost in the sun and he was sacrificed to second by Salerno. Brad Steinbach followed with a double down the left field line to score Randich and knot the game at two.
St. Bonaventure threatened in the seventh as Ricky Pillitteri led off with a walk and stole second. Pillitteri moved to third when Fordham pitcher Peter Kennelly couldn't handle Suminski's sacrifice bunt. J.P. Mack came on to relieve Kennelly and got Jesse Bosnik to pop up and then induced Moley, the Bonnies' leading hitter, to ground into a 6-3 double play.
The Bonnies threatened again in the eighth as pinch hitter T.J. Pennino led off with a walk and took second when Salerno's sacrifice bunt was misplayed. Steinbach moved the runners up a base with a sacrifice before Mack struck out Kyle Gorby for the second out of the inning. A walk to Tristan Mulcahy loaded the bases but Mack got Pillitteri on a come backer to end the threat.
Fordham almost ended the game in the eleventh when Reese led off with a double down the right field line and, after an intentional walk to Chris Kaible, both runners moved up a base on Bobby DiNardo's sacrifice. After another intentional walk to Ron Iacono loaded the bases with one out, St. Bonaventure reliever Cael Johnson struck out pinch hitter John Kahn and then got Kenny to ground into a fielder's choice to end the inning.
Mack was the hard-luck loser on the mound for Fordham, allowing just three hits and the one run over the final six innings, striking out four, while Kennelly threw the first six innings, allowing eight hits and two runs while fanning eight. Como finished the game 4-for-5 for the Rams while Leach and Reese each added a pair of hits.
The two teams will close out their three-game series with a game on Saturday afternoon at 1:00 p.m.
