Box Score March 22, 2008
Box Score
Bronx, N.Y. -
It wasn't pretty and it wasn't easy but the Fordham University baseball Rams picked up their first Atlantic 10 win of the year with a 9-7 victory over St. Bonaventure at Houlihan Park. The Rams used three hits and two RBI from freshman Alex Kenny to avoid being swept by the Bonnies and improve to 11-7 on the year, 1-2 in the Atlantic 10. St. Bonaventure falls to 8-6 overall, 2-1 in the conference.
The Bonnies took a quick 1-0 lead, picking up a run in the top of the first. With one out, Jesse Bosnik and Randy Moley singled but Bosnik was thrown out trying to advance to third, with Moley taking second on the play. Anthony Randich then plated Moley with a single to left.
St. Bonaventure made it a 2-0 game in the third when Michael Pillitteri opened the inning with an infield single and moved to third on a Kevin Suminski double. One out later Moley delivered Pillitteri with a sacrifice fly.
The Rams cut the deficit to one, 2-1, in the home half of the third, without benefit of a hit. Kenny led off the inning with a walk off St. Bonaventure starter Michael Proctor and, one out later; he stole second when Proctor attempted to pick him off, with Kenny moving to third when the throw from St. Bonaventure first baseman Tristan Mulcahy went into left. Kenny then scored when Rob Iacono grounded out to third and the throw from Pillitteri, the Bonnies' third baseman, got away from the catcher.
A two-run fourth helped the Bonnies build a 4-1 lead as Brandon Salerno and Kyle Gorby led off with back-to-back singles. One out later, the two runners moved up a base on a wild pitch and they would score later in the inning on a Pillitteri double.
Fordham knotted the game at four with a three-run fifth. P.J. Como led off the Fordham fifth with a triple and Kenny followed with a triple of his own to plate Como. A Ryan David double then delivered Kenny and David would score later in the inning as he appeared to be caught in a rundown between third and home but was able to get around the tag of St. Bonaventure catcher Salerno to tie the game.
Fordham took the lead for good in the bottom of the sixth when Chris Kaible led off with a walk, moved to second on a Como sacrifice and scored on a Kenny single.
The Rams made it a 7-4 game with two more runs in the seventh. Iacono led off the frame with a single and, two outs later, Reese walked. Kaible then brought both runners in with a double to left.
Two more runs in the bottom of the eighth gave Fordham a 9-4 lead. Como and Kenny led off with consecutive singles and David's sacrifice bunt attempt was misplayed, allowing Como to score and Kenny to move to third. Two outs later, Kenny scored as David stole second.
The Bonnies wouldn't go quietly, scoring three times and having the bases loaded with one out before Kaible got Brad Steinbach to ground into a game-ending double play. Suminski led off the Bonnies ninth with an infield single and he moved to second when Eric Reese's throw on a Bosnik grounder to second pulled shortstop Rich Goulian off the bag at second. A single from Moley loaded the bases and Randich was hit by a pitch to force in Suminski. Salerno followed with a single to plate Bosnik and make it a 9-6 game before Kaible came on to pitch for Fordham. Kaible then got Gorby to fly out to left, with Moley scoring on the play, before inducing Steinbach to ground into the double play.
Jake Rabinowitz (2-0) picked up the win on the mound for the Rams, throwing the first six and one-third innings, allowing nine hits and four runs while striking out five while Kaible earned his team-leading third save of the year.
Como finished the game with two hits and two runs at the plate while Kaible drove in a pair of runs.
The Rams will next be in action on Tuesday, March 25th, as they travel to Poughkeepsie, N.Y., to face Marist College at 3:00 p.m.
