Box Score April 27, 2008
Box Score
Ambler, Pa. -
Ryan McCrann, P.J. Como and Ryan David each collected three hits to pace a 14-hit Fordham attack and lead the Rams to an 8-5 Atlantic 10 baseball win and complete a three-game sweep over Temple University at Skip Wilson Field. With the win, Fordham improves to 25-18-1 overall, 9-9 in the Atlantic 10, while Temple falls to 20-21 overall, 11-7 in the conference.
The Owls got on the board early, picking up a run in the bottom of the first. Byron McKoy opened the Temple first with a double, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a Jamie Abercrombie infield single.
Temple made it a 3-0 game in the third when McKoy led off with a single and stole second. McKoy took third on an Abercrombie ground out and then scored on a Stan Orzechowski single. A Sean Barksdale single and Matt Heltz hit by pitch loaded the bases and Kyle Obel brought Orzechowski in with a fielder's choice.
The Rams cut the Temple lead to one with a pair of runs in the fourth. Eric Reese started things off reaching second on an error. After Chris Kaible walked, both runners moved up a base on a wild pitch and Ryan McCrann followed with a single to score both runners with McCrann taking second on the throw to the plate. One out later, P.J. Como singled but McCrann was cut down trying to score on the play.
The Owls took a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth as Steve Nikorak opened the inning with a single off Fordham reliever Jake Rabinowitz and took second on a wild pitch. A fly ball moved Nikorak to third where he scored on a McKoy sacrifice fly.
Fordham knotted the game at four with two unearned runs in the fifth. With one out, Rich Goulian reached second on an error and scored on a Danny Leach single. Reese followed with a single to move Leach to second where he scored on a Kaible fielder's choice, with Kaible taking second on another Temple error.
The Owls took a one-run lead in the seventh as McKoy led off with a single and he stole second. Abercrombie then put a bunt down and was thrown out at first with McKoy being doubled up when he took too big of a turn at third base. But with two outs, Orzechowski was hit by a pitch, went to second on a wild pitch and scored on a Barksdale single.
The Rams took a 6-5 lead in the eighth as Como singled with one out and moved to third on a Ryan David double. Both runners then came into score on a Goulian single.
Fordham added two insurance runs in the ninth as a leadoff walk to Reese and consecutive singles by Kaible and McCrann loaded the bases. Bobby DiNardo and Como then followed with sacrifice flies to bring in Reese and Kaible and give the Rams an 8-5 lead.
After Ryan Sheflott walked Abercrombie to lead off the ninth, Kaible came on pitch, retiring the next three batters to earn his team-leading ninth save of the year. The nine saves ties Kaible with Charlie Cucchiara on second place on the Fordham single season saves list.
Rabinowitz (3-1) picked up the win for the Rams, throwing four innings of four-hit relief, striking out two. McCrann and Goulian each drove in two runs for the Rams while Leach finished with two hits.
The Rams will next be in action on Tuesday, April 29th, as they host Hofstra University at Houlihan Park beginning at 7:00 p.m.
