Box Score March 7, 2009
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Richmond, Va. - With the snow cleared and the diamond ready for play, the Fordham baseball team fell to the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Rams, 5-2, in the first of a three-game weekend set.
"It's tough to win at this level with only four hits," notes head coach Nick Restaino. "But we hit some balls hard and right at them. We will continue to play hard and eventually hits will eventually fall."
VCU (6-3) got on the board first after scattering a few hits in the first two frames without bringing a runner home. In a wild play in the bottom of the third, Josh Alford reached second after striking out on a wild pitch. Fordham catcher Chris Walker threw down to first in attempt to complete the Alfrod out, but was returned with a perfect throw from first baseman Bobby DiNardo, throwing out Andrew Dimino, who was trying to score from third base on the throw. Alfrod would advance to third on a wild pitch and score on a ground ball to short.
In the top of the fourth, Fordham (1-7) found their way onto the scoreboard, starting off with Alex Kenny doubling to left field. Danny Leach's attempt to sacrifice Kenny over to third ended in Leach hustling his way to first with a bunt base hit. With runners on the corners, DiNardo knocked in a team leading ninth RBI on the season by hitting a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Kenny.
With one out and the bases loaded, VCU took a 2-1 lead as Dimino drew a walk to score Richard Gonzalez. Fordham got out of the jam with minimal damage, as starting pitcher John Flanagan got Alford to ground into an inning-ending double-play.
Fordham answered right back in the top of the fifth, as Walker took a 3-2 pitch to right field for a single, scoring Mike Mobbs from second base. Mobbs reached second on a walk and advanced later on a past ball.
With the score tied, 2-2, in the bottom of the seventh, VCU's Josh Alford hit a line drive that hit just off of Fordham third baseman Ryan Maghini's glove, scoring Dimino, who got on base off of a double to right center. Alford would later score on a DiNardo error, giving VCU a 4-2 lead.
VCU tacked one more insurance run in the bottom of the eighth, when Just Wright hit a solo shot over the right field fence to put VCU up, 5-2.
Jordan Grangard (1-1) took the loss after giving up two runs (one earned), two hits in one inning of work. Starting pitcher John Flanagan gave up two runs off nine hits while striking out five while walking five in six innings pitched. Greg Dimmling pitched one inning of one run ball off of two hits.
At the plate, Alex Kenny, Danny Leach, Bobby DiNardo and Chris Walker each had a hit for the four total Fordham hits. DiNardo and Walker earned the teams only RBI while Kenny and Mike Mobbs scored the two Fordham runs.
Outstanding, heads-up defensive plays from catcher Chris Walker and first baseman Bobby DiNardo helped fend off a number of offensive surges by VCU, as the duo teamed up for three pick-offs at first and the play that saved a run in the third.
Fordham and VCU will meet up for the final two games of the three-game series on Sunday, March 8, for two nine-inning games, beginning at 12:00 PM.
