Box Score May 20, 2009
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Dayton, Ohio - The Fordham baseball team was an out away from a 13-6 loss to Charlotte. The Rams however wouldn't go away in the ninth inning, putting forth a valiant comeback effort to bring the tying run to the plate, but unfortunately could not complete the comeback, falling by a 13-10 count to the 49ers for an early exit from the Atlantic 10 Championships.
Fordham ends the season with a 22-32 record while Charlotte moves on at 33-21 on the year.
Charlotte opened the scoring immediately in the first, as Zane Williams and Rob Lyerly both drew walks with two outs. Ryan Rivers then singled through the right side to score Williams from second. Charlotte looked for more, but Lyerly was picked off at second base by Chris Walker, his team-leading eighth of the season.
The Rams responded with a five-run second inning to grab a 5-1 lead, sending nine batters to the plate. Nick Martinez got things started with a one-out single and moved to second on a balk. Mike Mobbs then tied the game with an RBI-single, scoring Martinez. Up next was Stephen McSherry as he roped a single to right center, moving Mobbs to third while John Kahn hit a ground ball to second, but beat the relay throw to allow Mobbs to score from third.
After a walk to Danny Leach put runners at first and second, Brian Kownacki singled to left, scoring Kahn from second, while Leach went to third on the throw home with Kownacki moving to second. Bobby DiNardo then capped the inning with a two-run single through the left side for a 5-1 lead.
Charlotte came right back to tie the game at five with four runs in the top of the fourth, highlighted by a two-run double by Aaron Bray.
Fordham answered immediately with a single run in the bottom of the fourth to regain a 6-5 lead. With two out and a runner on first, DiNardo connected for his second single of the night to put runners at first and second. Walker then came through with an RBI-single to left, scoring Kownacki.
The 49ers fought back to tie the game at six in the top of the sixth, as Mike Perkins tripled to center and scored on a single by Bray.
Charlotte grabbed a 7-6 lead in the top of the seventh with some small ball as Williams walked, moved to second on a ground out, advanced on a passed ball, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Rivers.
The 49ers then exploded for six runs in the top of the eighth inning, collecting four two-out run scoring hits to go up by a 13-6 count, highlighted by a two-run double by Lyerly and a two-run single by Rivers.
Fordham rallied all the way back to bring the potential tying run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth, as the Rams scored four times with two outs, making it a 13-10 game. The Rams got an RBI-single by McSherry, a two-run single by Kahn, and an RBI-single by Leach to close within three, leaving two on with Kownacki at the plate. Charlotte closer Kelly McLain though stopped the rally, as he got Kownacki to pop out for the final out of the game.
Tyler Pilkington (5-1) got the win, pitching 4 2/3 innings of relief, allowing one run on three hits, while McLain recorded his fifth save of the season.
Jake Rabinowitz (3-7) took the loss in relief, allowing two runs on three hits with three strikeouts. At the plate, Kahn was 2-for-5 with three RBI, while DiNardo had two hits and two RBI. Mobbs, McSherry, and Leach also had two hits apiece.
