Box Score Feb. 22, 2009
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Boca Raton, Fla. -
After 413 pitches and 34 runs scored, Fordham reliever Daniel Munday got Troy Bubley to fly out for the final out of a wild ballgame, as the Rams defeated the Florida Atlantic Owls, 18-16, in the final game of their series at FAU Stadium.
With the win, Fordham improves to 1-2 on the year, while FAU is now 2-1. The 34 total runs scored was the most in a game involving Fordham, since April 28, 2003, when a total of 36 were scored in a Fordham-Rhode Island contest.
"I am extremely proud of how the team battled for a hard fought victory," said head coach Nick Restaino. "There was a lot of adversity and the team came through and played hard the whole game."
For the second straight day, the Rams started the game with the long ball, as P.J. Como led off the second inning with a solo home run to right, his first of the season, to give Fordham a 1-0 lead.
The Owls quickly tied the game at one in the bottom half of the second, as Tom Hatcher was hit by a pitch to open the frame. Nick Criaris then doubled to left center, moving Hatcher to third. Hatcher then scored on an RBI- ground out by Nick DelGuidice.
Fordham responded right back with three runs in the top of third, taking a 4-1 lead. Bobby DiNardo started the rally with a one-out walk, followed by single by Ryan McCrann. DiNardo would draw a throw to third on the play, but was safe with McCrann going to second. After a walk to Como loaded the bases, Ryan Maghini plated DiNardo with an RBI-ground out. Alex Kenny then ripped a two-run single down the left field line, scoring McCrann and Como.
FAU closed the gap to 4-2 with a single run in the bottom of third. Anthony Mesa started the inning with a double, and eventually scored on a ground out by William Block.
The Owls then tied the game at four with two runs in the bottom of the fourth. With one out, Criaris doubled to right, and another out later, David Wilson walked. Troy Bubley then singled to right to score Criaris, but the throw took a bad hop past Angelo Ponte at the plate. Wilson then rounded third to score, where Ponte could not handle a return throw, as Wilson crossed the plate to tie the game.
The Rams responded with an eight-run explosion to take a 12-4 lead in the top of the fifth inning. DiNardo got things going with a double down the left field line, moved to third on a ground out, and scored on a wild pitch. Como then walked, which would end the day for FAU starter Glen Troyanowski, as reliever Adam Morrison entered the game.
He would strike out Maghini, but Como would steal second on the play, and later moved to third on a failed pickoff attempt. Kenny then hit a ground ball to short, which couldn't be handled by the FAU shortstop, allowing Como to score. After Ponte was hit by a pitch, Brian Kownacki singled to left, scoring Kenny from second. Danny Leach then looped a single to right center, scoring Ponte, followed by an RBI-single by Joe Russo to score Kownacki. Lou Morey then came in to relieve Morrison, but was greeted with a three-run home run by DiNardo, his third of the season.
FAU cut the lead in half in the bottom half of the inning at 12-8 with four runs. The Owls got two runs on RBI-singles by Criaris and Wilson, as well as one on a passed ball and one on an error.
The Rams struck back with three runs in the top of the six to lead, 15-8. Como started the fray with a single and moved to second on a wild pitch. After a strikeout, Kenny singled to left, moving Como to third. Ponte then lifted a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Como. Kownacki followed with his second hit of the afternoon, sending Kenny to third. After a walk to Leach loaded the bases, Russo ripped a two-run single to center, scoring Kownacki and Kenny.
Fordham added another run in the top of the seventh inning, as Ponte singled home Como, who reached on a walk for the third time on the afternoon.
FAU though would not go away, scoring five times in the seventh, cutting the Fordham lead to 16-13. The highlight of the inning was a three-run double by Jeremy Griffiths.
The Rams got another run back in the top of the eighth, making it a 17-13 ball game, as Chris Kaible connected for a pinch-hit double to bring home Leach, who reached on a single.
In the ninth, Fordham pushed the lead back to five, 18-13, with a single run, as Kownacki ripped an RBI-double down the left field line to score Kenny, who reached on a walk.
FAU would make one final push in the bottom of the ninth, scoring three runs and getting the bases loaded with the go-ahead run on first with two outs. Fordham reliever Daniel Munday however would get Troy Bubley to fly out to left for the final out of a Ram victory.
John Flanagan (1-0) got credit for the win, allowing two earned runs in relief on three hits, while Munday picked up his first career save, recording the final two outs of the ballgame.
At the plate, P.J. Como was 3-for-3 with five runs scored, a home run, and three walks, while Danny Leach and Brian Kownacki were both 3-for-6 with two runs scored. Bobby DiNardo was 2-for-4 with a home run, three runs scored, three RBI with Joe Russo going 2-for-6 with three RBI. Alex Kenny and Angelo Ponte also drove in two runs apiece.
The Fordham baseball team will next be in action on Friday, February 27th, as they have two games in Charlottesville, Virginia. The Rams will take on Delaware at noon, followed by Virginia at 4:00 PM.
