Box Score April 13, 2008
Final Stats
Bronx, N.Y. -
After a long first inning in which six runs were scored in today's Fordham-George Washington baseball match-up, fans thought they would be in for a long day. But the pitching settled down and it was an error that determined the outcome of the game as the Rams took advantage of a Colonial miscue to score four unearned runs in the bottom of the eighth for a 6-4 Atlantic 10 win at Houlihan Park.
With the win, Fordham improves to 18-15 overall, 5-7 in the Atlantic 10, while George Washington falls to 17-17 overall, 6-6 in the conference.
After the wild first inning which featured the six runs, four by George Washington, and five walks, the pitching settled down as Fordham reliever J.P. Mack came on to throw seven and two-thirds innings of three-hit relief while Colonial starter Pat Lehman allowed just three more hits until the eighth inning.
Fordham trailed 4-2 entering the bottom of the eighth when Eric Reese led off with a walk and Chris Kaible followed with a single to put two on with no outs. Reese then took third on a wild pitch and, after a strikeout, Kaible stole second. Lehman almost got out of the inning as he struck out Bobby DiNardo for the second out of the inning and then got pinch hitter Angelo Ponte to ground into what appeared to be an inning-ending out. But George Washington third baseman Doug Eizen's throw to first was in the dirt, allowing Ponte to reach safely and both runners to score. After Joe Russo came on to pinch run for Ponte, Ryan David connected on a two-run home run, his second of the season, to put the Rams up 6-4.
Kaible then came on to close the game for the Rams, throwing a perfect ninth to earn his team-leading seventh save of the year.
The Colonials took advantage of the wildness of Fordham starter Jake Rabinowitz to score four times in the first. Tom Zebroski opened the game with a walk and he stole second. One out later, Charlie Kruer doubled to score Zebroski and walks to Brandon Kelliher and Sean Rockey loaded the bases. Mack came on to relieve Rabinowitz and the first batter he faced, Tim Reeves, laid down a bunt that Mack fielded while falling but his throw to first went wide, allowing Kruer and Rockey to score. Eizen followed with another bunt, this one to first, which brought in Kelliher with the fourth run of the inning.
The Rams got two runs back in the home half of the inning as Rich Goulian led off with a walk and, one out later, stole second. After Goulian stole third, Reese laced a triple to left center to deliver Goulian and extend his hitting streak to 15 games. After a walk to Kaible, Reese scored on a P.J. Como fielder's choice.
The pitching then took over in the game, with neither team getting a runner to third until the eighth inning. George Washington threatened in the top of the eighth as Kruer led off the inning with a double and Rockey sacrificed him to third. After an intentional walk to Kelliher, Mack got out of the inning by getting Reeves to ground into a 4-6-3 inning-ending double play.
Mack (2-3) picked up the win, throwing seven and two-thirds scoreless innings of relief, allowing just the three hits and striking out five. David led the Rams at the plate with a pair of hits, including the game-winning home run.
The Rams will next be in action on Tuesday, April 15th, as they travel to Piscataway, N.J., to face Rutgers at 3:30 p.m.
