Box Score April 15, 2009
Box Score |
Photo Gallery 
Bronx, N.Y. - The Fordham baseball team continues to struggle in out of conference play as the Rams lost their second-straight game with four errors aiding Columbia University to a 5-3 win.
Fordham falls to 12-21 on the year while Columbia improves to a 9-24 record.
The Rams were the first to put runs on the board as they took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second. The scoring got under way after Lions' starter Zach Epstein hit senior Angelo Ponte to put the lead-off man on base. Joe Russo's double down the left-field line brought Ponte to third while he would score on a Stephen McSherry single to center. With Russo now on third, sophomore Alex Kenny singled to left, bringing the final Rams' run in the inning.
Columbia got a run back in the sixth and took a 3-2 lead with two runs in the top of the seventh. The Lions got one of those two runs with runners on the corners and one out as James Stone's offering to Alex Aurrichio escaped Ponte's mit, allowing Mike Roberts score on the passed ball. Dean Forthun advanced to third on a ground ball and would score the second run of the inning on Bobby O'Brien's single to center.
In the bottom of the seventh, the Rams tied the game, 3-3. With Danny Leach leading off the inning with a walk, Russo would move him over to second with his second hit of the game. Leach broke for third on a wild pitch and came home as Forthun's throw in attempt to get him out at third went into the left field.
It was in the eighth that Columbia would take the lead for good with two runs in the inning. With a runner on first, Jake Rabinowitz attempted to turn a double play on a sacrifice bunt, only to have his throw to second skip wide and allow both runners to reach scoring position. All the Lions had to do was put the ball in play as two ground-ball outs were good enough to bring both runners home.
Pat Lowery came in to pitch a perfect ninth inning for his second save of the year while Joey Mizzoni improves to 1-1 on the year in one inning of relief work.
Fordham starting pitcher Brando Casalicchio shut down the Lions' offence in his five innings of work as the junior did not give up a run while surrendering four hits and a walk while striking out five. Rabinowitz takes the loss after giving up two unearned runs in the eighth.
At the plate, Russo went 2-4 for the second straight game while scoring one of the Fordham runs. McSherry and Kenny's lone hits brought in the Fordham runs in the game.
The Rams now head out to Cincinnati, Ohio for a three-game set against Xavier starting on Friday, April 17, at 3:00 PM.
