Box Score April 14, 2009
Final Stats
Bronx, N.Y. -
The Fordham University had its chances against Big East foe Rutgers University on Tuesday afternoon at Houlihan Park. Unfortunately the Rams couldn't take advantage of enough of their chances, stranding 13 runners on the day, as Fordham fell to the Scarlet Knights, 7-2.
With the loss, Fordham falls to 12-20 on the year while Rutgers improves to 14-19.
Rutgers jumped out a 4-0 lead in the second inning. Jaren Matthews opened the frame with a single but was picked off first by Fordham starter Daniel Munday. A walk to Jayson Hernandez and a hit by pitch to Jarred Jimenez put runners on first and second with one out and the runners moved up a base on a wild pitch. Luis Feliz delivered Hernandez with a single, moving Jimenez to third, and a walk to Russ Hopkins loaded the bases. Brandon Boykin then hit a potential double play grounder to short but second baseman Nick Martinez's throw to first was wide, allowing Jimenez and Feliz to score. Michael Lang followed with a double to drive in Boykin and give the Scarlet Knights a 4-0 lead.
The Scarlet Knights built the lead to five with a run in the top of the third on a Feliz RBI single before Fordham got a run back in the home half of the inning when Brian Kownacki connected on his second home run of the year.
The score remained 5-1 until the top of the sixth as Hopkins led off with a single for Rutgers and Boykin sacrificed him to second. One out later, Dan Betteridge plated Hopkins with a single.
The Rams answered with a run in the bottom of the sixth. Stephen McSherry opened the inning with a double and, two outs later, stole third. A walk to Mike Mobbs put runners on the corners and Martinez brought in McSherry with a single to make it a 6-2 contest.
After a Feliz RBI groundout in the top of the seventh, Fordham had a chance to cut into the Rutgers lead even further in the bottom of the inning, loading the bases with two outs but Jason Downey came on to strike out Joe Russo to end the threat.
Kownacki, McSherry and Russo each finished with two hits for the Rams.
Fordham will return to action on Wednesday afternoon, April 15th, as they host Columbia University at Houlihan Park at 4:00 p.m.
